Lamar Odom
Friends of Lamar Odom, photographed sitting courtside at the Miami Heat vs. Los Angeles Lakers game March 30, 2016, in Los Angeles, fear he might be on drugs again. Getty Images

Lamar Odom has been on the road to recovery since being released from the hospital in January. The former NBA star was believed to be clean and sober — save a few drinks here and there — after nearly dying from an overdose in a Nevada brothel in October 2015. Now friends worry he may be back to his old ways.

According to TMZ, those close to Odom fear he is using crack cocaine. He has reportedly been confronted by friends and family about pipes found in his home along with empty baggies and other drug-related items. In addition, sources tell TMZ his behavior has been off as of late. Friends are certain he’s on drugs and have been doing everything in their power to get him help before it’s too late. They’ve asked Odom, 36, to consider going to rehab, but he’s not interested.

Odom’s alleged descent may be fueled by the fact that estranged wife Khloé Kardashian filed for divorce May 27, according to E! Online. The divorce is several years in the making, as Odom and Kardashian first split in December 2013. The “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star is said to have received several warnings from the courts, telling her to submit the final documents necessary to complete her initial filing or risk having it discarded. She ignored the notifications and was forced to file for a second time.

Although the former Los Angeles Lakers player has not been linked to recent drug use prior to Friday’s accusations, he's rumored to have been consuming alcohol on occasion. On May 3, Odom is said to have gone to the Beverly Center in Los Angeles with a friend. TMZ wrote that while his pal shopped, Odom slipped into a mall bar where he was spotted sipping on a glass of Cognac and chatting with women. He was also seen drinking with friends in Sherman Oaks, California, at the Johnny O’Brien pub in March. Odom was photographed ordering drinks at the bar, where he is said to have stayed until 1 a.m. He was then seen attending church for Easter mass with the Kardashian family, wearing the same clothes as the night before.

Odom’s rumored drinking and drug use are problematic due to his recent hospitalization. The former NBA player was rushed to a Las Vegas hospital in October 2015 after being found unconscious inside Love Ranch South in Pahrump, Nevada. He is said to have overdosed on a mixture of herbal Viagra and cocaine. Doctors initially were not sure Odom would survive, fearing the incident had left him brain-dead. To date, he has made a near-full recovery. Odom credits Kanye West with helping him through his hospitalization, revealing that the “30 Hours” rapper played songs off his latest album, “The Life of Pablo,” at Odom’s bedside at the hospital.

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