(CRAFT)[LAMAR ODOM WAS OUR GLUE.]

It’s easy to understate LO’s role, but it’s important not to. He was the ultimate teammate. He was charismatic, unselfish, and had a great sense of community. LO was the one who brought the team together, whether that was encouraging group outings, having one-on-one dinners with certain guys, or just being available to hang with.

The only thing as big as his heart was his talent. He was a superb passer, he could handle the ball, and he developed a steady jumper. I always knew I could count on him on the court. Whenever I got double-teamed, my initial instinct was always to find him and let him make the right play.

During our title runs in 2009 and 2010, every player on the team had a role. Pau, for example, was the intellectual; Derek was the big brother. Lamar Odom, then, was the cool-ass uncle who took care of everybody and always came through in the clutch.