LA's Odom has been a coast-to-coast player
Lamar Odom's basketball career has followed a similar circuitous route as his journey to manhood.
It has taken Odom to places far and nigh from his birthplace in Jamaica, N.Y. He crisscrossed the country, venturing out West to begin his college career at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in 1997, where an NCAA inquiry found Odom had received improper payments amounting to $5,600 from a booster, leading to the dismissal of coach Bill Bayno and the program being placed on probation for four years.
Odom wended his way back East to the University of Rhode Island, where he sat out the 1997-98 season after transferring, before playing one season with the Rams in 1998-99.
"His first year at URI was the year the NBA season was cut short by the lockout," said Jim Harrick, Odom's coach at Rhode Island, in a phone interview from California. "Our first game, we played against TCU in a doubleheader with Providence College and Vanderbilt at the Providence Civic Center. About 75 NBA scouts came out to see Lamar. The reason there were so many scouts there was that there were no NBA games.
"So he comes out and gets a triple-double in that first game. Wow! He was a marvelous player who meant a lot to me and our program at Rhode Island."
Odom guided the Rams to their only Atlantic 10 championship, averaging 17.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, and was a first-team selection to the all-conference team. He earned A-10 Rookie of the Year honors, and was named A-10 tournament MVP after he hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer against Temple in the championship game.
"The score was tied and I remember we called a timeout and I said, 'Well, Odom, you're the one who got us started off against TCU when we got you the ball at the end, so we're going to go to you again,' " Harrick recalled.
"We ran the play for him, he got triple-teamed, and he threw up a 28-footer that went in."
It remains the most cherished moment of Odom's brief collegiate career.
"I'll never forget the opportunity they gave me," said Odom, who is back in New England with the Lakers as they face the Celtics in the NBA Finals.
"Of course, I was the No. 1 high school player coming out and went to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Things didn't work out there, I had to come here [to URI]. They had open arms for me and they gave me a chance to play.
"Of course, I had to sit my first year, but I had the big Atlantic 10 tournament where I hit the winning shot against Temple, and that's [URI's] only tournament championship.
"So this is a special place for me, it's really important, and it's special for me to be able to come back to the New England area and play in the championship."
It wasn't long after Odom hit that shot that he decided to leave school early for the NBA.
"Everybody realized he was a guy who was going to the NBA," Harrick said. "Everybody knew that. But I think Rhode Island gave him a good foundation and an opportunity to make a name for himself. Most of the time, young players need time to mature and grow.
"I have three sons of my own, and some get to where they want to be earlier than others. But Lamar, he got to where he wanted to be in his own time and on his own terms."
Just look at him now.
"Lamar is probably one of the most versatile forwards we have in the league," said Kevin Garnett of the 6-foot-10-inch Odom. "He can definitely play five positions. He's very difficult to guard. You know, when you have a player that controls the ball, has the ball a lot, he reminds you of Scottie Pippen."
After he was selected by the Clippers in the 1999 draft (No. 4 overall), Odom made the NBA All-Rookie team, averaging 16.6 points and 7.8 rebounds. In November 2001, though, Odom was suspended for violating the NBA's substance abuse policy for the second time in eight months.
Odom crisscrossed the country again as a pro, getting traded in 2003 from the Clippers to the Miami Heat, who then dealt him back to Los Angeles, this time to the Lakers, after the 2003-04 season along with Caron Butler and Brian Grant in exchange for Shaquille O'Neal.
And now, in his fourth season with the Lakers, Odom is making his first appearance in the Finals.
"I'm more of a man now," Odom said. "I was 18 when I got to the University of Rhode Island. I didn't always do things the right way.
"I'm comfortable in my skin. I'm prepared mentally and physically more than ever, and I'm just ready to go out there and show everyone that I'm a man.
"So, I'm looking forward to going out there and competing against this great team in the New England area and doing my best."
Michael Vega can be reached at vega@globe.com.
