Lamar Odom Reveals He Left Taraji P. Henson Because He "Fell In Love" With Khloe Kardashian In Resurfaced Interview

BYHayley Hynes72.4K Views
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Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom & Taraji P. Henson
Odom said that things ended between he and the "Empire" actress because he was an "immature punk."

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian's relationship was a messy one, to say the very least. Fans of the reality stars may have seen the couple's tumultuous union play out on their TV series, or in the tabloids, but a 2019 interview given by the professional basketball player has unveiled some new information that's taken many people by surprise. 

While chatting with TV One's Uncensored crew, the 42-year-old shared that, before he and the mother of one got together, he was spending time with What Men Want star Taraji P. Henson – a relationship that apparently, not a lot of fans knew about.

"I met Taraji at [an] HBO party. I met her and we hit it off right away," the retired NBA player explained, admitting that he "really, really started liking her," and that he wishes he "would've done things [differently]with her."

Odom went on to say, "She was a little older than me but I learned a lot from her because that was the most significant relationship as a grown-up that I had with a Black woman." He added, "I used to carry her picture on the road with me," speaking of his time spent playing for teams like the Clippers and the Mavericks.

The father of three commended Henson for her ability to inspire him. "'She gave me inspiration... A Black woman working like that, that's just as good at her craft as I am in my craft." When speaking on why a relationship that was clearly so influential and important to him ended, the New York-born athlete explained, "Things ended with Taraji because of me being an immature punk."

"I didn't know how to tell her that I was falling in love with another woman named Khloe Kardashian," he revealed, admitting that he ultimately chose the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum over the 51-year-old.

Twitter had a lot to say about the trending video, with some suggesting that Khloe's complicated relationship with her baby daddy Tristan Thompson is "karma" for her "taking" Odom from his ex, and others pointing out that it wouldn't be the first time the 37-year-old has done such a thing.

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About The Author
Hayley Hynes is the former Weekend Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop, she stepped down after two years in 2024 to pursue other creative opportunities but remains on staff part-time to cover music, gossip, and pop culture news. Currently, she contributes similar content on Blavity and 21Ninety, as well as on her personal blog where she also offers tarot/astrology services. Hayley resides on the western side of Canada, previously spending a year in Vancouver to study Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald Centre and Journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary before that. She's passionate about helping others heal through storytelling, and shares much more about her life on Instagram @hayleyhynes.
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