Former NBA star Lamar Odom was never one to mince words during his venerable playing career that featured two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Odom is no different in retirement.
While appearing on the Bootleg Keg Podcast, Odom took aim at the Phoenix Suns‘ mascot, the “Go” Gorilla, which has been featured by the team since 1980.
“The thing that’s funny is they kind of slid that one by for all these years,” Odom told the podcast. “Nobody says anything about that. Gorillas, in the desert, you can’t find any. You could probably find a cactus.
“In basketball, bro, just like, come on, bro. But you know what’s so, really crazy about it? They just tried it because they wanted to get the fans involved, and that’s the reason why they kept it – because the fans loved it.”
Odom described himself as a “woke, young Black man in America” who looks at things “totally different.”
“I’m surprised [Suns All-Star point guard] Chris Paul hasn’t said anything about it,” Odom said.
Odom went on to criticize the NBA’s punishment of Suns owner Phil Sarver, saying the punishment for racist behavior “fell short.”
The Los Angeles Clippers originally selected Odom with the fourth overall pick of the 1999 NBA Draft. Odom retired from the NBA in 2013.
