Author Topic: LAMAR ODOM- Exit Interview.  (Read 75 times)

Now_Im_Not_Banned

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LAMAR ODOM- Exit Interview.
« on: May 18, 2007, 03:13:46 PM »
Exit Interview: Lamar Odom

INTERVIEW (IN MP3)

Odom was clearly still carrying around the playoff disappointment last week, not surprising since he's a guy who tends to absorb rather than deflect blame and responsibility.  He'll likely require surgery on his shoulder, and perhaps his knee as well.  While he understands the situation in terms of the need for the team to make changes and improve, Odom said he's not worrying about it.  "My job is to go out and play basketball as hard as I can, to my fullest potential."  Still, he was clear that he wants to stay here.  "This is the team I want to retire with," Odom said.  It was also interesting to hear him talk about how the team can improve.  Most involved the intangibles of team building.  "We can work.  We can become closer as a team.  Work together, eat together.  Do all of the smaller things that it's going to take to win a championship."  Injuries, he said, took a major toll on that.  It's hard for guys going in and out of the lineup to find their place, to figure out how they fit in.

"This one was a little long to me," Odom said of this year.  "I felt like I played great at times, but I wish I didn't have to get hurt.  That first knee injury I had in December took something out of me a little bit."  Add on the emotional burden he carried around, and it's not hard to see why Odom might welcome a little time away.  Once he's back to it, it'll again be about improving his right hand, "but there won't be one thing this summer that I won't work on, whether it's my right hand or getting stronger, or increasing my conditioning."

As for next year, "I know they want me to score.  I might be catching the ball closer to the basket."  That mentality of making sure he gets his shots and his points is still one that doesn't come naturally to him.  "I think people want to see me be aggressive on the offensive end," he said. "I try to play the game of basketball and not just score, but if that's what the people (meaning basically everyone he talks to about hoops, in and out of the organization) want to see, I guess they can expect that a little bit more from me next season." 


REPORT CARD-
It's difficult to imagine that Lamar Odom could someday have a tougher year as a pro than the one he just finished.  The tragedy of losing his infant son in the offseason was compounded by an injury riddled regular season, a disappointing record and quick playoff exit.  On the court, Odom was playing arguably the best basketball of his career in November (18.3/8.2/5.0 in November) before suffering a knee injury on December 12th in Houston.  He came back after missing 21 games, but wasn't quite the same guy, reverting to the more inconsistent, too-often-unassertive L.O. that has frustrated fans and coaches throughout his career.  The year got tougher still when Odom tore the labrum in his shooting shoulder, costing him five more games and limiting his ability to knock down jumpers for the rest of the year.  Still, Odom established himself as a team leader, someone unafraid to say when he felt the collective effort wasn't enough, always while pointing the first finger at himself and his mistakes.  And in the postseason, L.O. tried to pick up his game, recording five double-doubles and hitting the glass hard (two 16 rebound games).

It's hard to grade out Odom, given how banged up he was by the end of the year (the dude looked practically mummified during pregame warmups in the playoffs).  And on a personal level, I admire how hard Odom played, and his continuous refusal to use his injuries as an excuse for off nights.  On a Laker team short on talent and even shorter on the type of chutzpah necessary to overcome it, nobody can accuse Odom of not leaving whatever he had out on the court.  Argue about his aggressiveness, argue about his consistency, but it's hard to criticize his effort.  GRADE: B (and it could have been higher, had the injury bug not hit so hard.)