MIAMI (AP) – Lamar Odom sheepishly eyes a messy pile in front of his locker that includes dirty socks and seven size-16 shoes.
“Sorry about that,” he says, pushing the clutter aside to clear a path for visitors and teammates.
Odom heard plenty of criticism during his first four NBA seasons, when he played for the Los Angeles Clippers and was labeled an undisciplined, unreliable underachiever. The worst the Miami Heat can say about their versatile power forward is that he’s untidy.
Miami is contending for its first playoff berth since 2001, and the 6-foot-10 Odom is a big reason. The latest evidence: a 30-point, 19-rebound, 11-assist performance Saturday against Sacramento.
It was the Heat’s first triple-double in nine years.
“He has a lot more in him,” teammate Rafer Alston says. “He’s a phenomenal player.”
Still only 24, Odom is blossoming in his fifth pro season, and on Monday he was chosen Eastern Conference player of the week. He’s averaging 17.4 points and 9.8 rebounds, both career highs, and 4.5 assists.
“It’s a maturing process,” Odom says. “It has never been a big deal whether I could play or not. Staying healthy and doing the right things to protect my career off the court _ that was mostly everyone’s concern. No one ever really said, ‘I don’t know if he can play. I don’t think he’s a good player.'”
Odom came to the NBA with a reputation for being flaky and indecisive. He played at three high schools as a senior, then drew the attention of NCAA investigators when recruited by UNLV and never played there.
He spent one season at Rhode Island, changed his mind twice about entering the draft and finally decided to leave college. He skipped pre-draft workouts with several teams and failed to show for a scouting combine.
The Clippers nonetheless took him with the fourth pick in 1999, but he was hampered by injuries and twice suspended for violating the league drug policy. He played a total of just 78 out of 164 games the past two seasons, and after he signed a free-agent contract with Miami, Clippers vice president Elgin Baylor questioned his character.
But Pat Riley saw a player with the potential to reverse the Heat’s fortunes, and he drew Odom with a six-year, $65 million deal.
“I knew a lot was going to be asked of me here,” Odom says. “It’s a position I wanted to be in.”
It’s a position that has Odom all over the court. He runs the offense from the point, slashes or shoots from the wing and provides a vital inside presence for a team with an undersized center in Brian Grant.
“Lamar’s a great player,” Sacramento’s Vlade Divac says. “He does everything, and he makes the other players better.”
Odom has scored in double figures in all but five games, but he takes particular pride in rebounds and assists.
“That means you’re getting your teammates involved,” he says.
But Odom has been forced to carry the Heat at times. Leading scorer Eddie Jones is struggling through the worst shooting season of his career, and talented rookie guard Dwyane Wade has missed 21 games with injuries.
“Lamar can do so many different things,” coach Stan Van Gundy says. “We have asked him to do everything, and he has responded.”
The Heat started 0-7 but have played nearly .500 ball since then, and they’re one of six teams battling for the final three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Miami, Cleveland and Toronto all were 27-36 through Sunday, tied for eighth place in the East.
A postseason appearance would be Odom’s first.
“We’re playing for so much right now,” he says. “I wake up every day thankful for my blessings and thankful that Coach Riley had enough confidence to bring me here and take care of me. All I had to do was worry about playing basketball.”
