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.