Lamar Odom has left a rehabilitation facility in Los Angeles and is actively pursuing opportunities in college basketball coaching, according to sources familiar with his recent activities.
Odom, a two-time NBA champion, checked out of iRely Recovery in Los Angeles after a 30-day stay and has since traveled to meet with several college basketball programs. Those meetings have included conversations with athletic departments and coaching staffs about a potential role in player development.
The Triangle Offense is his calling card
The centerpiece of Odom’s pitch to college programs is the Triangle Offense, the system he learned and executed during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers under head coach Phil Jackson. Odom spent six seasons in Los Angeles and won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010, developing a reputation as one of the more versatile players in the league and a natural fit for the Triangle’s demands on spacing, basketball IQ, and ball movement.
Odom believes the system remains relevant for today’s college players and has been making that case directly to programs during his recent visits. He is focused specifically on player development, working with younger athletes to build the foundational skills the Triangle requires.
What comes next for Odom
The coaching pursuit represents a meaningful step for Odom, whose personal struggles have been well documented over the past decade. His exit from the rehabilitation program and immediate move toward professional engagement signals a level of focus that those close to him have described as genuine.
No formal agreement with any college program has been announced. Odom is still in the early stages of those conversations and has not confirmed which schools he has visited. Whether his background as a player and his connection to one of basketball’s most studied offensive systems is enough to land him a staff position remains to be seen, but the interest appears to be mutual across multiple programs.
At 45, Odom is approaching this chapter from the perspective of someone who played at the highest level for 14 seasons and has a specific system to teach. His NBA career included not only the championship runs in Los Angeles but also earlier seasons with the Miami Heat and the Clippers, where he earned a reputation as a connector player whose value extended beyond statistics.
For now, the conversations are ongoing and Odom is presenting himself as someone ready to return to the game in a new capacity.
