Nates Notes

Earlier this week, NBA players, coaches and fans alike feared they had lost another great one when retired NBA player Lamar Odom was found unconscious in a Nevada brothel. Local law enforcement reported the former NBA star was found with drugs on him and in his system. Initially in a coma, he is now awake and somewhat responsive, according to reports.

Obviously, many questions were asked. Inquiries ranged from “why was he there,” to “what has happened to this guy.”

After all, he is a two-time NBA Champion, winner of the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, and is credited with blending the style of a power forward with that of a point guard, further revolutionizing the sport of basketball as a whole. Lost his mother when he was only 12. Overcame that. Father was a reported heroin addict. Overcame that too. Now, this man, this story of triumph, lies in a hospital bed, recovering from nearly losing his life.

There is clearly a deeply rooted issue within Odom that would take more than a couple hundred words to explain. But some have already jumped to the conclusion that his ties to the dysfunctional group of people sharing a last name — I guess you could call them a family — the Kardashians, have impacted his decline. However, I will not go as far to blame them for Odom’s current state, as he has a past involving drugs that dates back to before the Kardashians.

However, I do blame some media, and maybe even the Kardashians, for making this about anyone other than Odom. You cannot read a single article about Odom’s current state that fails to mention that Khloe Kardashian is by his side. Some even mention it in the headline. This is not about the Kardashians. This is about him. That story of triumph I mentioned earlier nearly concluded with a 35-year-old man dying.

So in your spare time, pray for Odom, and quite frankly all who resort to nights of drugs and debauchery for satisfaction. And remember, it is not about the glamorous social lights from Hollywood, it’s about a man who is going through a tough time right now, and his name is Lamar Odom.

Haywood is the editor-in-chief