Former NBA star Lamar Odom has pushed back against claims that he married Khloé Kardashian for fame, insisting the narrative that emerged from his Netflix documentary does not reflect what he actually said.
The controversy began after Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom revisited the couple’s whirlwind romance and marriage in 2009.
In the documentary, Odom spoke about being drawn to the Kardashian lifestyle, while a close friend claimed the former basketball player believed marrying Khloé would help “better his future” because of the family’s influence.
Those remarks prompted many viewers to conclude that Odom had married the reality star for fame.
Khloé later addressed the issue on her podcast, saying she felt blindsided by the suggestion and questioned why Odom would imply their marriage was motivated by celebrity status.
She also revealed that she took part in the documentary without being paid and regretted doing so after hearing the comments.
Now, Odom says that interpretation is wrong.
Appearing on the Nothing’s Off the Table podcast with Louis Ruggiero, the former Los Angeles Lakers star insisted he never claimed he married Khloé for clout.
That never came out of my mouth.
When the podcast host remarked that Odom genuinely loved Khloé, the former NBA champion agreed but rejected the idea that he needed her fame to elevate his own profile.
Yeah, I did. But I did not need more clout.
Odom also argued that he was already dating an “A+ actress” before meeting Khloé, saying he had no reason to pursue the relationship for publicity.
He suggested that comments from other people featured in the documentary may have contributed to the misunderstanding.
Despite Odom’s clarification, Khloé has stood by her criticism. She accused her ex-husband of refusing to take accountability and said she has no interest in working with him again after the documentary.
Odom and Khloé married in September 2009 after dating for about a month.
Their relationship became one of Hollywood’s most talked-about romances before they separated in 2013 and finalized their divorce three years later.