Lamar Odom Describes Near-Death Experience, 'Couldn't Control' Cocaine Use

Former NBA star Lamar Odom described his 2015 near-death experience, as well as the impact cocaine addiction had on him, in an article released by the Players' Tribune on Thursday.

Odom wrote about waking up in a Nevada hospital room attached to tubes, which he immediately tried to pull out in a state of confusion. A doctor told him he had been in a coma for four days and that it was a miracle he was still living.

The two-time NBA champion said cocaine use was the cause and had taken over his life: "At that point in my life, I was doing coke every day. Pretty much every second of free time that I had, I was doing coke. I couldn't control it. I didn't want to control it."

In conjunction with the article (Warning: video contains profanity), the Players' Tribune released the following video of Odom further explaining his addiction:

Odom said he hit rock bottom when his then-wife found him in a motel room getting high with another woman.

He added that he entered rehab after being released from hospital to ensure he would be around for his two children.

Odom said he is clean currently but remains in a constant battle: "I'm sober now. But it's an everyday struggle. I have an addiction. I'll always have an addiction. It never goes away. I mean, I want to get high right now. But I know that I can't if I want to be here for my children."

Additionally, Odom noted that coming close to death reminded him he had previously had a positive impact on people:

"You know, it's crazy ... when I was in the hospital, and I couldn't even walk, all these people came to see me that I hadn't seen in a minute. All these old teammates came. Kobe [Bryant] came. I got texts from all these guys, like, 'Damn dog, the news was saying you were dead. I'm happy you're still here.' It kind of reminded me of who I was, and what I've meant to some people."

Now 37, Odom enjoyed a 14-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks that yielded two titles and the 2010-11 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.

He last played for the Clippers during the 2012-13 campaign, and although he signed with the New York Knicks in 2014, he never appeared in a game for them.