After being hospitalized in October 2015 when he was found unconscious in a Nevada brothel, Lamar Odom has spoken out publicly for the first time. The professional basketball player opened up to Entertainment Tonight Thursday at the Staples Center, where he was supporting his former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant during his last NBA game ever. "I’ve never been better, especially after tonight," the 36-year-old athlete said about how he's feeling now. "He had 60 [points] tonight. He is the world, learned so much from him off the court, on the court, everything kinda translates and life is beautiful."
Odom also popped up in a tribute video to Bryant that same evening, where he said, "Bean, what’s up, it’s your little brother L.O. Just want to tell you I love you. You got a great career. I’m proud to say that I was right there with you, Kobe Bean."
When he wasn't praising Bryant, the former star of Keeping Up With the Kardashians addressed the reports of him being spotted at a bar in March. "I mean, it gets tough, especially if so much gets speculated," he told ET about the photos. "Only a few people know the truth, and I just keep that close to my heart."
One of those people appears to be Khloé Kardashian. In October 2015, it was reported that Kardashian delayed her and Odom's divorce proceedings. At the time of those reports, Kardashian released a statement to People, which read in part:
It's out in the media that we are back together, but I wish people understood that's not in our thought process right now. There are too many other important things, too many medical things. It's not even in our brains thinking about us as a couple or having a relationship right now.
On Wednesday, rumors surfaced that Kardashian might file for divorce sooner rather than later. Whether or not that is true, it seems like her relationship with Odom is healthy. "We did talk, you know, everything is [up for] discussion," Odom told ET. "We talk about anything. We’ve been through a lot. It won’t ever stop."
There's no doubt that Kardashian has been by Odom's side since his hospitalization and only wants the best for him, so it's really no surprise to hear him talk about her in a positive way. If anyone wants him to get better and live a healthy life, it's the Strong Looks Better Naked author.
As for Odom's future, he told ET that he's ready to "get back on the court," because he's "still got it."
It definitely sounds like he's doing well. Here's hoping he keeps moving in the right direction.
