http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2504783

Lamar Odom's infant son dies while sleeping


EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=lal) player Lamar Odom (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3327)'s 6½-month-old son has died, a spokesman for the team said Thursday.
Jayden Odom died Wednesday night, apparently suffocating while sleeping in his crib in New York, according to John Black.


"Lamar is very distraught," Black said. "Both he and the baby's mother are asking that people respect their privacy at this time."
Jayden was born Dec. 15. Odom has two older children -- a son and a daughter.


The 26-year-old Odom came to the Lakers two years ago in the trade that sent Shaquille O'Neal (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=847) to the Miami Heat (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=mia). Odom averaged 14.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 80 games for the Lakers last season and 19.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists in their first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=pho).



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Not meaning to be a jerk, but Lamar's stats aren't exactly relevant to the story. Anyways, thoughts & prayers go out to Lamar and his family. I dont know why, but I just really like Odom. He just strikes me as an inherently good guy. I dunno. But this strikes me as being particularly tragic.

Thanks for starting this thread Griffin. Me and the wife heard about this earlier today while driving home in the car and listening to the 2live Stews.

Our hearts and prayers go out to him and his family. It's tough to lose a child as even though he was less than 7 monts old, as it's hard remember what life was before you had your children.

Very sad. He was my boy's age. You wonder how it can happen with all the education and childproofing these days, but it just does.

Life is very fragile no matter what age a person is. My heart goes out to Lamar and his family.