Khloé Kardshian Opens Up About Lamar Odom’s Addiction: “He Was Good At Concealing It”
Khloé Kardashian is opening up about a major life lesson she learned during her marriage to Lamar Odom. Looking back, she realizes just how much she tried to save a man who wasn’t ready to be saved.
On her podcast Khloé in Wonderland, the Good American founder shared a memory from her relationship with Lamar, who battled drug addiction during and after his NBA career. She recalled a pivotal moment when she desperately encouraged him to join Team USA one off-season, hoping it would keep him focused and away from his struggles. But his response changed everything for her.
“He just looked at me and said, ‘You can’t want it more than I do,’” she shared. The words hit hard. “It’s so silly, ’cause I know that. But 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,” she added. It was then that she realized she couldn’t fight for someone who wasn’t willing to fight for themselves.
It still took her time to accept the reality of their relationship. “It took me a long time, and then I had to file for divorce. That was a very pivotal moment in my life because I remember that statement being like…’Yeah, you’re right. I can’t want your life more than you,” she admitted.
She married the NBA star in 2009 but separated in 2013 before finalizing their divorce in 2016.
Looking back, Khloé sees things more clearly. According to her, she was so young. Now, she believes she is so much better at realizing she can’t change people.
She also admitted that love blinded her to the dangers of addiction. In her words: “In hindsight, I was like, I don’t wanna be with someone that does [hard drugs], even just a little. Because it could easily be a slippery slope. But you are in love and you’re like, ‘It’s fine.'”
For nearly a year and a half, she didn’t even realize the full extent of Lamar’s drug use. “He was really good at concealing it,” she said, recalling their trips to Las Vegas when he was using. That secret life nearly cost him everything. In 2015, he suffered a near-fatal overdose at a Nevada brothel, and since their divorce wasn’t finalized, Khloé put everything on hold to help him recover.
Now, years later, Lamar is returning to The Kardashians, and fans were shocked to see the exes reunite in the trailer for Season 6. He walked in holding a bouquet of roses, a moment that left Kris Jenner emotional. In a confessional, she reflected on their past, saying, “That was the love of her life.”
