LAMAR ODOM WINS 2010-11 NBA SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

EL SEGUNDO – Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Lakers is the recipient of the 2010-11 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, the NBA announced today. The honor, voted on by a panel of 120 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, is the first for Odom as well as the first for a Lakers player since the award's inception prior to the 1982-83 season.
Odom, a two-time NBA Champion and member of the gold medal winning 2010 USA Basketball Men's World Championship team, appeared in all 82 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 32.2 minutes. Ranked 15th among league leaders in rebounds and 11th (.530) in field goal percentage, Odom recorded 28 double-doubles on the season while scoring 20-plus points 14 times. Earlier this season, he became the 23rd player in NBA history to reach 12,000 career points, 7,000 career rebounds and 3,000 career assists as well as the 9th fastest ever to do so in terms of games (821).
"Lamar could realistically start for any team in this league but his team-first attitude has allowed us to utilize him in a sixth man role," said Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak. "He could have won this award in any of the last several seasons and I'm happy that his unselfishness and talent have finally been recognized."