Lamar Odom
Drafted by:
L.A. Clippers, Round 1, pick 4.

 
EXPERT ANALYSIS
  "Odom has been pegged for stardom since he led Christ the King to the New York City championship as a 15-year-old sophomore, the first sophomore to do that since Lew Alcindor. Odom is a lean, long-armed 6-10 player with guard skills. He is a superior passer that handles the ball well enough to bring it upcourt. Odom glides downcourt with good speed and quickness, and he is very good in early offense.

As a lefty, most teams forced him to his right and tried to be physical with him. Odom showed an ability to defer to his teammates and could be unselfish to a fault, averaging only 12 shots per game. He shoots the ball with range, although his shot is not consistent and he is prone to settling for the jumper. Odom has unlimited potential and will be one of the first three selections. The questions: Can he consistently hit the pull-up jumper? Can he show the ability to play a physical game?"
-- ESPN's Jay Bilas

College: Rhode Island
Height: 6-10
Weight: 220 pounds
Position: Forward
Age: 19 (Nov. 6, 1979)
Birthplace: Jamaica, N.Y.

Career highlights

  • Early-entry candidate for the 1999 NBA draft
  • Named Honorable Mention All-America by The Associated Press in his only season on collegiate level
  • Considered the most ballyhooed player in Rhode Island history
  • Missed the 1997-98 season after transferring from UNLV
  • Is a left-hander

    College highlights
    Sophomore

  • Named First Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference and Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year after averaging 17.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game
  • Also named Atlantic 10 Tournament MVP after hitting an electrifying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift Rhode Island over Temple, 62-59 in the A-10 Tournament championship game
  • Had career-high 28 points at St. Joseph's Feb. 21, career-high 15 rebounds vs. Brown, Nov. 24, 1998, and career-high 11 assists vs. George Washington March 5
  • Nearly registered a triple-double in his first collegiate game, scoring 19 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and dishing out nine assists vs. TCU
  • Scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in NCAA Tournament loss to UNC-Charlotte
  • Had five-game stretch in January where he scored 20 or more points in each game

    Freshman

  • Sat out while eligibility issues were cleared up after transferring from UNLV

    High School

  • Played three years at Christ the King (Queens, NY) and senior season at Redemption Christian Academy (Troy, NY) before finishing up at St.Thomas Aquinas in Connecticut
  • Was named the National Player of the Year by Parade Magazine in 1997
  • Averaged 25 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and five blocked shots as a senior at Redemption
  • Was a McDonald's All-American as a senior and starred in the 1997 Magic Johnson Roundball Classic
  • Was New York Daily News Player of the Year in 1996
  • Scored 36 points in the Catholic League championship game as a 15-year-old sophomore, breaking the individual scoring record for the game established by Lew Alcindor (Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and tied by current NBA players Kenny Anderson and Felipe Lopez

    College statistics
    SEASON G FGM FGA PCT FTM FTA PCT REB AST PTS AVG
    1998-9932203421.482125182.68730212256417.6
    TOTALS32203421.482125182.68730212256417.6
    Three-point field goals: 1998-99, 33-for-100 (.333); Totals: 33-for-100 (.333 ).











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