Lamar Odom: Struggling Maverick Gets Much-Needed Pep Talk from Phil Jackson

Lamar Odom is currently in one of the biggest funks of his career and in desperate need of some guidance.

In 13 games with the Dallas Mavericks, Odom is averaging a mere 6.8 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 assists on a horrific 31 percent field goal clip.

These are by far the worst stats of his career and Odom appears lifeless on the floor. He isn’t meshing with his new teammates and it seems like coach Rick Carlisle’s words aren’t getting through to him.

So what is the solution? How about a pep talk from his former coach Phil Jackson? According to ESPN Dallas reporter Jeff Caplan, that’s exactly what he got:

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[Phil Jackson] told me just to be strong and get myself together and get myself in that place mentally where I can use basketball as my sanctuary. He said relearn to do that through meditation and other forms to get to a place where you kind of leave everything else behind and focus on the now, the moment. And that's what I have to work on in order to put myself in a place where I can go out here and actually play the game like I used to play it.

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That is some sound advice and further proof why Jackson is the undisputed best NBA coach of all time. Don’t worry about your reality show or all of the friends you miss back home, focus on the task at hand.

I think the month of December was such a whirlwind for Odom that it kind of shell-shocked him. From living the Los Angeles lifestyle with his wife and TV cameras to a complete new city, the adjustment was quick and drastic. He has never played with any of the Mavericks and they weren’t used to his unique skill set. With virtually no practice time together, the two sides are forced to feel each other out during game action.

While one conversation isn’t going to completely right the ship, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

Facing the most adversity since his rookie year in the league, it will be interested to see how he responds to the pressure. The Mavericks need a productive Odom in order to repeat as champions.