Former NBA star Lamar Odom is reportedly close to finalising a plea deal in his driving under the influence (DUI) case in Las Vegas. The agreement, according to his defence attorney Michael Becker, would see Odom enter a no-contest plea, reducing the initial DUI charge to reckless driving. This would allow him to accept the terms set by the Clark County District Attorney's Office without formally admitting guilt.
Odom, aged 46, was initially charged with DUI, speeding, and failure to stay in a driving lane following his arrest on 17 January this year. He had previously pleaded not guilty in March, but the scheduled bench trial for Tuesday has been postponed to allow for the plea entry later this month. It is anticipated that Odom will not need to appear in court in person for this hearing.
The arrest report from January details how a Nevada State Police Highway Patrol trooper observed Odom speeding along a Las Vegas highway and making lane changes without using a turn signal. Upon being pulled over, the trooper noted Odom allegedly had bloodshot eyes and a smell of marijuana. While Odom denied consuming alcohol, he claimed his passenger was smoking marijuana. Field sobriety tests conducted by the trooper were deemed 'unsatisfactory', with Odom reportedly failing to touch his nose and losing his balance.
This is not Odom's first encounter with DUI charges. In 2013, he was arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles, for which he also pleaded no contest and was subsequently given three years of probation. His personal life, including his marriage and later divorce from reality TV star Khloe Kardashian, frequently drew significant media attention.
Beyond his legal troubles, Odom is a decorated former basketball player, having won two NBA championships in 2009 and 2010 with the Los Angeles Lakers. His 14-year career also included stints with teams such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, and Dallas Mavericks. In 2015, he garnered headlines after experiencing a serious medical incident at a legal brothel in Nevada, which he later attributed to being 'poisoned'.