Podcast Summary: DOUBL3 COVERAGE PODCAST
Episode: Lamar Odom on Kobe's Message From the Afterlife, Khloe Kardashian & Why the Lakers Are Losing
Hosts: N3on & Mystic Zack
Guest: Lamar Odom
Date: March 7, 2026
Episode Overview
In a raw, wide-ranging conversation, two-time NBA champion Lamar Odom reminisces about his turbulent yet triumphant career, lessons learned from Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson, and the struggles and stories that defined his life both on and off the court. The episode covers Odom’s surreal dream about Kobe Bryant delivering a message from the afterlife, his reflections on Lakers culture, reality TV stardom, personal battles with addiction, and candid thoughts about his marriage to Khloé Kardashian. The discussion also dives deep into current NBA trends and the Lakers’ woes.
Major Discussion Points & Insights
1. Lamar’s NBA Journey & Lakers Reflections
- Early NBA Experiences: Lamar shares stories about entering the NBA young, being present at Staples Center’s inaugural game, and early losses with the Clippers.
- “I was 19… As a matter of fact. My number one booster at UNLV, he was friends with a guy... they want to call it Staples Center… I don't know if we won or lost, but I lost a lot of games with the Clippers.” (01:55)
- Playing With Kobe Bryant:
- “I did play with Kobe. Anyone who I learned a lot from dude, bro, definitely learned a lot from dude.” (00:55)
- Transition to the Lakers: Odom discusses his trade back to LA and the excitement of playing alongside Kobe.
- Donald Sterling Controversy: Reflects on the negative atmosphere with the Clippers under Sterling.
- “He’s a nut. Yeah, he was a nut. I pray for people who have that mindset…” (03:51)
- Nostalgia and Regret: Odom opens up about some regrets during his Clippers days, feeling he didn’t always give LA fans enough.
- “Even in my greatest times with the Clippers, sometimes I feel a little regret… I couldn’t be myself…” (04:48)
2. On Innovation in Basketball & Modern NBA
- Point-Forward Precursor:
- “That was a blessing from God to be able to be my height and still maintain guard attributes… I basically know the responsibility for every position on the court because I played them.” (06:01)
- Legacy as a Ball-Handling Big:
- “If you consider me a big man, I probably had to be… the big man [who] had the best handle probably ever in the NBA.” (07:35)
- Modern Players: Lamar admires Victor Wembanyama and discusses Steph Curry’s influence on today’s youth and playstyle.
- “If there’s one person I will pay to watch right now is him [Wemby]… But I know if I get a kid right now… he probably gonna shoot the ball from the furthest part, you know, and that’s due to Steph Curry’s greatness.” (09:16)
- Gripes with Modern NBA:
- “The NBA is really kind of hard for me to watch, like a random game. Everybody play the same way… tired of seeing dribble handoff to a pick and roll.” (10:43)
3. The Phil Jackson Experience & Lakers Dynasty
- Zen & Meditation:
- “We meditated together as a team and meditation is a form of prayer… it definitely brought us together.” (11:18)
- Recounts Phil Jackson’s practice of handing out books and bringing in mindfulness expert George Mumford.
- Handling Personalities:
- “Managing personality is very important. Phil used to give us a book… his mental approach… brought us together.” (11:18, 12:20)
4. Reality Television & Khloé Kardashian
- Life in the Spotlight:
- “I’m probably the only person, the sports figure that was able to film successful reality show while in season… That was the year I won six man of the year.” (13:28)
- Motivation:
- “People probably were expecting me to fail, for me to fall off… It kind of kept a fire lit under my ass.” (14:37)
- The Kardashians: On his relationship with Khloé and the unique pressures of their high-profile marriage.
- “That’s probably one of my worst, my biggest mistakes ever is that I told God that I was going to take care of this woman and be with her forever and stepped out on her… Divorce could be like death.” (48:03)
- “Honestly, you don’t marry somebody in 30 days and then forget about them.” (49:20)
5. Kobe Bryant: Legacy, Mentorship & Afterlife Dream
- Mamba Mentality:
- “Kobe Bryant was probably the best generational player of my generation… He had 81 points, nine game winners one season…” (14:34)
- Shares how Kobe’s work ethic and confidence drove the team.
- Locker Room Dynamic:
- “He called me the glue… I think it was more like the glue, like the locker room dude. I make sure everybody was laughing and in good mood.” (18:53)
- The Candy Habit: Discussed humorously as a well-known trait during his playing and reality TV days.
- Kobe’s Message from the Afterlife:
- (See Notable Quotes and Moments)
- “He looked back at me, he said, hello, the afterlife is not what people make it up to be.” (39:15)
6. Battle with Addiction, Sobriety & Perspective on Life
- Daily Struggles:
- “If you’re addict and you practice sobriety is, you know, day to day… it’s God’s plans. Right. In his time.” (22:41)
- Near-Death Experiences:
- “I had 12 strokes and six heart attacks when I was in the coma… they said I wasn’t gonna ever walk or talk again… Now I’m having a conversation with you right now.” (45:05)
- Reflections on Grief and Loss: Odom shares thoughts on the deaths of Kobe, his own son, and dealing with pain, guilt, and healing.
- “Death could… Divorce could be like death… even when people pass on and they're long ahead, you still have to live your life…” (48:03)
7. Current NBA & Lakers Critique
- Lakers’ Struggles:
- “They don’t play no defense… the effort and the energy is not there every night. And you know, everybody can score the ball but nobody want to defend…” (28:06)
- Old vs. New Lakers: Concern for a loss of identity, moving away from the Triangle, and softness in today’s team and league.
- “I don’t know how the Lakers got away from the Triangle… I have a lot of Laker pride.” (32:14, 33:16)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Kobe’s Afterlife Dream
- [39:15] Lamar Odom:
“He looked back at me, he said, hello, the afterlife is not what people make it up to be. And then I woke up shortly after that. And that just made me think, like, what is he trying to say?... I just take it as, like, you know, live your best life now.”
Kobe vs Jordan Competitiveness
- [17:28] Lamar Odom:
“He was just mumbling, I'm better than Mike. I'm better than Mike. I was looking at him like, you bugging. But, you know, that's how competitive he was.”
Lamar on Candy Habit & Health
- [21:19] Lamar Odom:
“My ex wife. I had a whole… man cave and it was full of candy… I gotta watch that now. I don't want nobody chopping my foot off.”
Sobriety & Second Chances
- [45:05] Lamar Odom:
“I had 12 strokes and six heart attacks when I was in the coma... Now I’m having a conversation with you right now.”
- [51:13] Lamar Odom:
“The best is yet to come, little brother. The best is yet to come. I feel like… my third life.”
Key Timestamps
- NBA Journey, Playing With Kobe, Early LA Days: 00:43–05:53
- Ball-Handling Bigs, Modern NBA, Wemby & Steph: 05:53–10:43
- Phil Jackson & Meditation, Championship Insights: 11:03–13:08
- Reality TV, Kardashian Era, Motivation: 13:18–14:37, 47:03–50:53
- Kobe Bryant: Mamba Mentality & Bond: 14:34–20:04
- Kobe’s Afterlife Dream & Reflections on Death: 37:39–40:52
- Addiction, Recovery, Near-Death Experiences: 22:41, 45:05–46:39, 51:13–51:48
- Lakers Critique, NBA Trends: 28:02–35:43
Takeaways
- Live for the now: Lamar repeatedly emphasizes living in the moment and not harboring regrets, especially after the loss of loved ones.
- Kobe Bryant's influence: Odom’s memories of Kobe paint a vivid picture of relentless competitiveness, leadership, and inspiration that shaped him and the Lakers’ championship DNA.
- Personal growth: Lamar's journey through addiction, health crises, and relationship struggles is shared with honest humility and hope.
- Changing basketball landscape: He’s reflective and critical about the evolution of the NBA, expressing nostalgia for the days of defense, the triangle offense, and tougher basketball.
Closing Note
Lamar Odom’s conversation is alternately uplifting and sobering, mixing lighthearted stories about candy and reality TV with profound insights on loss, resilience, and the unbreakable bond of championship teams. His honesty and wit, as well as deep respect for Kobe, Phil Jackson, and the Lakers, make this episode an engaging listen for any basketball or pop culture fan.
