The Kardashians

Full name: Lamar Joseph Odom
Nickname(s): Lam Lam
Date of birth: November 6, 1979
Hometown: South Jamaica, Queens, New York
Profession: Forward for the Los Angeles Lakers
Twitter: RealLamarOdom

Lamar Odom is the husband of Khloe Kardashian and a star player for the Los Angeles Lakers.

He's living the high life now but Lamar had a very troubled childhood. He was raised as a young child by his mother, Cathy Mercer, who tragically died when Lamar was 12. She was his “rock” at a very impressionable time and in a very rough inner city neighborhood, where drug deals took place just feet away from his doorstep. His grandmother, Mildred Mercer, stepped in to raise Lamar, and Lamar thanks God for her good influence. “[She taught me] all the little things that I stand for,” Lamar says, “the things that in today’s world get overlooked, as far as family, trying to put back into your neighborhood. Being spiritual, believing in God. Having principles, and morals, and treating people the right way. Respecting people so you can earn respect.”

Lamar dreamed of joining the NBA ever since he was introduced to basketball around age 7. “I was always tall for my age,” he says. “I remember being in fourth grade, fifth grade, I’m just daydreaming. The teacher comes up and says, ‘What you doing? Why you writing your name in your book a hundred times?...You better think of something else?’ And I’m like, ‘I’m going to the NBA. There is nothing else. This is what I’m going to do.’ I always tell people — they always say, ‘What would you do if you weren’t playing basketball?’ I can honestly say – I’m not trying to give you an ignorant answer — but I don’t know. I knew I was going to play basketball.”

His dream certainly came true. He declared his eligibility for the 1999 NBA Draft after his freshman year at the University of Rhode Island in 1999. The forward was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the fourth overall pick. After an amazing first season, he was named to the 2000 NBA All-Rookie First Team. He was then acquired by the Miami Heat, and then the Lakers. NBA Head Coach Pat Riley once said of Lamar, “He is the only player to come into this league who had the ability to play like Earvin (“Magic”) Johnson. Now THAT’s a compliment!

Lamar has two children with ex-girlfriend Liza Morales: Destiny, Lamar, Jr., and Jayden, who tragically died of SIDS when he was 6 ½ months old.

Lamar and Khloe got married on September 27, 2009 and the ceremony was featured on an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. The couple dated for only a month before tying the knot, but they remain sickeningly in love! Of the marriage, Khloe once said, “My life has changed so much, and I as a person have changed even more. I have never been happier, never been so at peace, never been so in love. I am a better person because of Lamar. I laugh constantly!”They are presently trying to have a baby, but have said that it is taking longer than they expected. We can’t wait for a little Khlomar!