The former Lakers star, who was married to Khloé Kardashian at the time, was found unconscious at the Love Ranch Vegas brothel in Crystal
, Nevada and workers claimed he had used cocaine there, according to the Los Angeles Times. He subsequently suffered 12 strokes, multiple heart attacks and even kidney failure, though he made a miraculous recovery.
Now, 11 years on from the harrowing incident, Odom has offered a chilling insight into the matter and suggested that somebody had been trying to “take him out.”
The Theory
In a recent interview with Lakers On SI, Odom cast doubt on the narrative that he was simply a drug addict who overdosed.
“A lot of people probably had it misunderstood and thought that a drug addict went to the brothel one night and bought a big bag of cocaine and overdosed,” he said.
“I was living in Vegas, and I didn’t make the connection. I didn’t have a cocaine connection yet. And so, I considered it as a hit.”
When explicitly asked whether he believes someone had put a hit out on him, Odom elaborated:
“I mean, just think about it. I didn’t take cocaine that day. Feel what I’m saying? It wasn’t a godfather-type of hit, but I think someone knew I had an addiction and knew I had a weakness when it came to drugs and women, and thought that’d probably be the best time to take me out.”
“That’s the only thing that I could come up with, when I try to add it all together. I’m a man that walks with God. I listen to my gut a lot. I guess that’s the God within me telling me, right?”
The Trauma
Odom admitted the experience still haunts him.
“There’s still some trauma that comes along with that,” he explained, revealing that he considered sleeping with a “gun under my pillow” in the aftermath.
Previous Claims
This isn’t the first time Odom has suggested foul play. In January 2025, he claimed drugs were “slipped into his drink” before the overdose.
Appearing on The Kyle & Jackie O Show, the 46-year-old said he had one drink at the brothel before he “woke up three days later.”
“I remember being upset that I didn’t have any cocaine to take to the brothel. I had just signed the divorce papers and I thought I was just gonna go all the way in,” he said.
“I don’t know what they were able to slip into my drink or what. When I woke up, I couldn’t walk or talk. So it took, you know, it took some months of rehabilitation and a lot of prayers, a lot of determination.”
“Now my mission is probably to help people who have the same problem who couldn’t help themselves be able to understand addiction and understand that it’s a brain disease. It’s important for people to really understand and educate themselves.”
Khloé’s Account
The upcoming Netflix “Untold” docuseries, titled “The Death & Life of Lamar Odom,” features a stunning admission from Khloé Kardashian, who reveals she punched Odom after catching him using drugs following his overdose.
Kardashian recalled finding the ex-NBA star “smoking crack” in a house she had rented for him, complete with a personal chef to aid his recovery.
“Once you know the smell of crack, it’s the most identifiable, disgusting smell, and there’s nothing that you can confuse it with,” she said. “And I remember stopping by the house and I smelled crack.”
“I remember slowly tiptoeing up the stairs, he was in his bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed, smoking crack, and I just punched him in his face.”
The Bottom Line
Lamar Odom made $114 million over 14 NBA seasons. He won a championship with the Lakers. He was the Sixth Man of the Year.
But 11 years ago, he nearly died. Now he’s telling a different story—not of an addict who lost control, but of a man who believes someone tried to take him out.
Whether it’s trauma, truth, or a search for answers, Odom’s theory is his own. And after surviving 12 strokes and multiple heart attacks, he’s earned the right to tell it however he sees fit.