By DANIEL MATTHEWS, US SENIOR SPORTS WRITER
Published: 13:18 EST, 20 January 2026 | Updated: 13:30 EST, 20 January 2026
Former basketball star Lamar Odom has denied being under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he was arrested in Las Vegas.
The two-time NBA champion was detained by police on Saturday on suspicion of DUI, driving more than 40mph over the limit and an improper lane change/failure to maintain lane.
On Tuesday, Odom spoke out about his arrest, insisting he had not drunk or taken narcotics when he was arrested. In an interview with TMZ, he did not specify what was in his system.
But the 46-year-old, who was previously married toKhloe Kardashian, insisted he is 'learning from this experience.'
He said: '[I] remain committed to my continued growth. I've worked hard to rebuild my life, and taking responsibility is an essential part of that process.
'I am cooperating fully, staying honest, and focused on moving forward with integrity. Thank you to those who continue to support me.'
Lamar Odom has denied being under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he was arrested
Odom, pictured in August in 2010, was previously married to reality star Khloe Kardashian
The New York native, who was the 2010-11 Sixth Man of the Year and won two titles with the Lakers, made $114million over his 14-year career in the NBA.
But Odom has battled drug and alcohol addiction and he was previously arrested for DUI back in 2013.
A couple of years later, the retired forward nearly died of a drug overdose in 2015 at a brothel in Nevada.
According to reports at the time, Odom was believed to have overdosed on cocaine and other drugs before he was found unconscious at the Love Ranch in Crystal.
He was soon on life support with Kardashian by his side. The reality star and 6ft 10ins basketball star tied the knot in 2009 after a whirlwind romance.
But they endured a tumultuous marriage riddled with infidelity, drug abuse, and public scandals. Last year, Kardashian lifted the lid on the 'pivotal moment' that forced her to end the marriage.
'[He] had a drug addiction and I knew that his addiction always heightened when he was in the off-season, cause idle time is the devil’s playground,' she recalled.
'I remember he was asked to go to Team USA, if I remember correctly, and I was begging, "Please, please go to Team USA," and I was pushing, and I remember he just looked at me and said, "You can’t want it more than I do."'
The 46-year-old ex-NBA star is also accused of driving more than 40mph over the limit
She added: 'When he said, "You can’t want it more than me" and "I don’t want it" — it was so profound... I wanted it so badly, because I wanted to help him and to get him to feel the motivation and feel good.
'But he just wasn’t in that place... then I had to file for divorce.' The divorce was finalized in 2016.
Odom reportedly went sober in recent years and attempted to help others battling addiction by investing in rehabilitation centers.
Last May, the ex-NBA champion was ordered to vacate a Los Angeles home after allegedly failing to pay rent, according to a lawsuit.
The suit, filed in LA County Court, revealed he was being sued by a landlord for allegedly failing to pay $45,000 in back rent.
A later filing showed a judge had ordered Odom to leave the home on April 28.