​Former NBA star Lamar Odom is set to plead no contest in a Las Vegas DUI case after his arrest earlier this year, according to his attorney speaking with The Associated Press. The former Los Angeles Lakers forward, now 46, faced a January 17 incident in which he was stopped by police on suspicion of driving under the influence, speeding, and failing to stay within a driving lane. By entering a no-contest plea, Odom would effectively reduce the DUI charge to reckless driving without admitting guilt. A bench trial had been scheduled for Tuesday.
The events leading to the case began when a Nevada State Police trooper reported spotting Odom driving over 100 mph on a Las Vegas area interstate. The officer said that Odom changed lanes without signaling as he was being pulled over, and noted that both Odom and an unidentified male passenger had red, watery eyes and smelled of marijuana. According to the trooper, Odom offered conflicting accounts during the traffic stop and subsequently failed a field sobriety test, culminating in his arrest.
Odom, who entered the NBA as the No. 4 overall pick out of Rhode Island in the 1999 Draft, enjoyed a 14-season professional career. He was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year and helped the Lakers secure back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. Despite his on-court success, Odom’s career was marred by off-court struggles with drug use, which contributed to the end of his playing days and strained his marriage to reality television personality Khloe Kardashian. The couple’s high-profile 2009 wedding was chronicled on Kardashian’s reality show, though they finalized their divorce in 2016.
Odom’s life off the court has been marked by ongoing health battles. In 2015, he survived a drug overdose that left him comatose for three days after being found unconscious in a Las Vegas brothel. He has since maintained that he does not recall using drugs on the night of the incident, even though he has acknowledged suffering 12 strokes and six heart attacks in his lifetime. The broader arc of Odom’s life, including his recovery and ongoing public interest, was the focus of a Netflix documentary series released earlier this year, providing a candid look at his journey and the challenges he has faced. This latest legal development adds another chapter to a long, storied life both in the spotlight and in the courtroom, as Odom navigates the consequences of his past choices while continuing to address his health and personal resilience.