Lamar Odom Reveals Kobe Bryant’s Impact on His Gambling Recovery

Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom opened up about the impact that the legendary Kobe Bryant had on his gambling addiction.

Odom grew up in a troubled home, and those troubles seeped into his personal life, leading to several different vices in his life.

He is a recovering drug addict who went through a life-threatening overdose a couple of years back, which left him in a coma, though he managed to survive somehow.

While his drug problems got a lot of coverage, the Laker fan favorite also dealt with a serious gambling addiction, which threatened his livelihood until the Black Mamba arrived to lend a hand.

Bryant got Odom out of trouble and believed in him, helping him through one of many tough periods in life.

Odom did an interview on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, where he explained how much it meant for Bryant to help out amid the gambling problems.

"I had been gambling. It got a little too steep for where I was at at that time," Odom said on the podcast.

"If you are in a bad situation, especially about some money, he ain't the one that you're going to want to call.

"Maybe if you have a way to work off the money or you don't say or just to hold something, you ain't gonna want that. One time, I gathered up the strength, put my pride to the side, and gave him a call."