Lamar Odom fired back at ESPN commentator Stephen A.
Smith, who joked that the retired basketball player “was on crack” when he got signed to
the New York Knicks in 2014.
Odom’s lawyer sent a letter to the sports network on Friday
following Smith’s comments, which came on Thursday during First
Take. Smith was discussing the possibility of a different player being
traded by Knicks owner Phil Jackson, then launching his Odom reference.
“[Jackson’s] very first move as executive was to sign Lamar
Odom…Who was on crack!” Smith screamed.
“I love Lamar Odom the person, and God bless him and we’re
wishing nothing but the best — but metaphorically speaking, his first move as
the executive of the New York Knicks was to sign Lamar Odom, who was on crack!”
“Let us look at what
this statement does, not only to Lamar, but to any and all professional
athletes that are struggling with addiction,” part of the lawyer’s letter
stated, which Odom tweeted, along with the hashtag, “#slander.”
The lawyer continued, “To say that this conduct was
outrageous and unacceptable does not scratch the surface. Think about the
others that are battling addiction.”
The letter also indicated that Odom passed a physical and
other required tests needed to play in the NBA at the time. It did not call for
Smith’s firing, instead calling on the network to use the matter as an
opportunity to become more involved with the cause of addiction.
Source: PEOPLE
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