Lamar Odom's Former Teammate Matt Barnes Offers Advice
Lamar Odom should focus less on making his NBA career and more on his marriage, according to his former teammate Matt Barnes.
Odom, 33, averaged 4.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in 82 games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season. However, the free agent is making news headlines more for rumors surrounding his ailing marriage and reported issues with substance abuse than his basketball career.
Barnes, the Clippers forward, has suggested that Odom focus less on his career than his marriage which is rumored to be on the rocks due to allegations of infidelities stemming from his reported issues with substance abuse. Although Barnes said he hasn't spoken to his friend Odom lately, he did speak up about the husband to reality television star Khloe Kardashian.
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"I haven't talked to Lamar for a while, but we're good friends and I just wish him the best right now, on the friendship level, not to worry about career," Barnes told thejasminebrand.com recently. "I think right now is the most important for him to focus on himself and his marriage and I'm sure he'll be alright."
While the media has been writing a number of stories about Odom, Barnes said people may be too quick to judge the struggling NBA free agent.
"You know, you can never really believe what you read or what you hear. And so, I think the public is quick to jump to conclusions, what I want to say," Barnes told thejasminebrand.com "But like I said, he's a good guy and I know he'll land on his feet."
Vinny Del Negro, the former Clippers' coach who coached Odom last season, previously spoke about his feelings concerning the troubled NBA player.
"I understand he is going through a lot right now. It is never easy," Del Negro told The Los Angeles Times. "He has always had some difficult obstacles and they weigh on him a lot. You feel bad, but you hope he is all right."
