Lamar Odom Attends His First Lakers Game Since Brothel Collapse

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Former NBA player was invited by friend and teammate Kobe Bryant, who is set to retire at the end of the regular season

Lamar Odom at Lakers Game
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Lamar Odom continued his return to public life on Wednesday by attending the Los Angeles Lakers game to watch his former team play the Miami Heat.

It was the first time that Odom, who played for the Lakers from 1999 to 2003, has gone to the Staples Center since being found unconscious at a Nevada brothel in October.

The 36-year-old former NBA star was a guest to longtime friend and teammate Kobe Bryant on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, and sat laughing courtside after sharing a hug with Lakers part-owner and president Jeanie Buss.

After 20 years in the league, Bryant only has seven more games to go before he retires at the end of the regular season.

Odom suffered several strokes and kidney failure after being found unconscious in the brothel last fall. The former player, who’s struggled with substance abuse in the past, had admitted to taking cocaine as well as up to 10 herbal sexual stimulants — though the was not charged with relation.

After initial hospitalization in Nevada, where he was comatose for several days before regaining consciousness Odom was transported to Los Angeles. In January, he was released from the hospital in order to continue his recovery at a private rehabilitation facility.

He made his first public appearance after the health crisis at a fashion show for Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 3 in February.

As for the Lakers, they currently need all the support they can get. The team is still facing the fallout from the video that point guard D’Angelo Russell recorded of his teammate, Nick Young, appearing to talk about being with women other than his fiancée, Iggy Azalea.

According to ESPN, the tension among the Lakers players led to the lackluster performance in their game in Salt Lake City on Monday, resulting in the worst loss in franchise history.

Addressing the media before Wednesday’s game, Russell said he’s “sick” over the situation. “Been asked 110 times, and my answer and feeling stay same.”

Russell was later booed by Lakers fans when he was announced in team’s starting lineup as they took to the court against the Heat, who they eventually beat 102-100.

See tweets about Odom at the game below.

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