Mike Trudell
Lakers Reporter

All we’ve heard about Lamar Odom in the past few weeks is whether or not he’s going to retain his spot in the starting lineup, or take up a sixth man role in favor of Trevor Ariza. That, plus a few shots at his not-the-best-ever play in preseason game No. 1.

To be honest, I - for one - am more interested in what Lamar’s WWE name would be, his out pitch if he were a Dodger and from where he gets his 50 Cent mix tapes.

MT: So Lamar, we’re going to start with some questions that are far more important than your hoops game. What’s at the top of your playlist right now?
Odom: I hear that. I’m going to say that Game’s album is good, any mix tape that 50 Cent comes out with and Robin Thick’s new album.

MT: “Angel” is solid. I’ll tell that to the Game at the season opener. Do you get the mix tapes from New York?
Odom: Yeah I get them sent from home. Mix tapes are something that DJ’s do, a way to keep the street in tune with your music. A lot of rappers make music just for the streets.

MT: Where can the rest of us find ‘em?
Odom: You can look online – if you go to 50Cent.com, or allhiphop.com, you can get some mixed tapes on there.

MT: Interesting. OK, if you could be a WWE wrestler or an international soccer player, which would you choose?
Odom: A WWE wrestler.

MT: Shocker. And your name would be…
Odom: Handsome.

MT: Right. That’s what I figured.
Odom: I’d be kinda like a Rick Flair type of dude. I’d have the craziest interviews, be talking about doing all kinds of strange stuff.

MT: I’m guessing you’d be more about weird moves than power…
Odom: Oh definitely. Definitely more moves than power. One-hundred percent. Submission holds, little chops*. Yeah.
Editor’s note: Odom actually demonstrated a chop during our dialogue, but he took most of the force off. Thankfully.

MT: Which Laker would pose the biggest challenge to “Handsome?”
Odom: Ha. Man...

MT: Well I was thinking you’d be able to outwit the young, huge Bynum, but Josh Powell might be tough.
Odom: Yeah, Josh Powell and D.J. Mbenga.

MT: Good point. Any little guys give you a decent scrap?
Odom: Jordan (Farmar) would be a great little person wrestler.

MT: OK switching topics on you: Who wins the World Series and why?
Odom: The Dodgers. They have great chemistry, it’s about time and they come from Brooklyn.

MT: Well you’re from Jamaica Queens…
Odom: But I’ve got a lot of people, family from Brooklyn.

MT: Anyway, can you see the coaching parallel between (Dodgers Manager) Joe Torre and Phil Jackson?
Odom: Sure. They both take their time, they’re both patient. They’re not extra talkers, they don’t show excitement and they’re winners. Success is in numbers.

MT: That’s 13 combined coaching titles. What position would you play with the blue and white?
Odom: A pitcher. Man, I have heat, and a heck of a curveball.

MT: Does it dip?
Odom: Oh come on, it goes down to about 75 or 80 (miles per hour), I can just dip that thing right outta there. Heck of a curveball.

MT: We know you spent a lot of time at Rucker Park playing hoops in New York, but did you have any baseball fields around?
Odom: Well we had a pretty good baseball team at Christ the King High School – we had the No. 2 basketball team in the country – but we had a few baseball players that played in the major leagues like Allen Watson (used to play for the Yankees) and Steve Karsay, who used to play for St. Louis.

MT: Do you hit bombs or liners?
Odom: I don’t know … I guess all-around. I can hit for contact, hit the ball in the gap, pull it, do whatever you want.

MT: Fine. Am I for sure selecting you No. 1 in a Lakers baseball draft if I’m smart?
Odom: Jordan Farmar is a heck of a baseball player – his father was in the major leagues.

MT: Kobe could probably figure it out. He’s probably good at most things.
Odom: Oh yeah he would. Premier athlete. Kobe Bryant would be a heck of a center fielder.

MT: Your alma mater Rhode Island doesn’t have much of a football team. Have you adopted USC or UCLA?
Odom: I mean, I got into USC and UCLA when I got out here (with the Clippers), but I rooted for the Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame when I was a kid. Know what I’m saying? Rocket Ismael, Tony Rice…