Lamar Odom
was all smiles at Wednesday night's game between the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Miami Heat, his first appearance at an NBA game since his hospitalization in October.
The 36-year-old athlete was welcomed with open arms at the Staples Center in Downtown L.A. ESPN reports that Odom was invited to attend the game by longtime friend and former teammate Kobe Bryant.
Odom received a lot of love from friendly faces during the game, including Los Angeles Times
sportswriter Bill Plaschke, who tweeted, "Just greeted Lamar Odom at
Laker game, he recognized me immediately, said my name, shook my hand,
thrilling to see him coming back."
Plaschke also shared an update on Odom's apparent
health, writing, "Lamar Odom walking slow but looking strong, speaking
well, giant ray of hope."
Odom was also greeted with a hug by Lakers President and co-owner Jeanie Buss, daughter of the late Jerry Buss. L.A. Daily News sportswriter Mark Medina shared a snapshot of the sweet moment to Twitter.
Odom, who played for the Lakers for seven years
between 2004 and 2011, won two titles and was named the 2011 Sixth Man
of the Year with the team.
The former NBA star is currently in a substance abuse recovery program after his hospitalization last year, but was spotted hanging out at a bar in Sherman Oaks, California on Saturday.
It was rumored that Odom's presence at the bar caused tension with his ex, Khloe Kardashian, who has been supporting him during his recovery. However, Odom appeared to be all smiles while spending Easter with his ex and her family the next day. Check out the video below to see more from the Kardashians family's fun Easter festivities.
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