Odom takes timeout

Steve Carp

Tuesday, July 29, 1997 | 10:08 a.m.

He can go overseas and play professionally. He can go to a prep school in the U.S. and kill a year. He could attend junior college. He even could apply to another Division I school.

Lamar Odom is a man with options. What he will do probably won't be known for at least another week. Maybe longer.

UNLV gave Odom a release from his national letter of intent Friday after the 6-foot-9 prep sensation had been asked to speak with university and NCAA officials about the 22 score he received on his American College Test last October. Odom refused to cooperate, saying he had done nothing wrong and his ACT score was legitimate.

A Sports Illustrated story July 7 questioned the validity of Odom's test result. Odom, meanwhile, has looked into hiring an attorney and is contemplating suing the magazine.

"Lamar's holding up just fine," said Gary Charles, a family friend and Odom's AAU summer league coach with the New York Panthers in 1996. "He understands the school did what it had to do and he has no problem with the school.

"He's just disappointed that thing hasn't died down and he hasn't had a chance to give his side of the story."

Odom, who has not made himself available for comment since UNLV officially released him last week, remains in Las Vegas. He is enrolled in a physical education class which he needs to satisfy his high school graduation requirements.

Charles said Odom, who released a brief statement in conjunction with UNLV's announcement on Friday, has been instructed not to speak to the media. But Charles said Monday Odom may talk next week.

"Right now, he's trying to finish up his class so he can get his (high school) diploma," Charles said. "We're just trying to sort out what he's going to do next."

Sonny Vaccaro, another friend of Odom's, said he spoke to Odom over the weekend and that Odom was doing well, considering the circumstances.

"He was disappointed when I talked to him," said Vaccaro. "He really wanted to play for UNLV.

"He doesn't want to hurt anybody and he doesn't want to be hurt. He just doesn't understand why anyone would go out of their way to try and hurt him."

Vaccaro said he didn't know which way Odom was leaning as far as his immediate future was concerned.

"Right now, the most important thing is for Lamar to get his grade in that P.E. class so he can get his diploma," Vaccaro said. "Once that's done, I think he'll concentrate on what he's going to do.

"He'll sit down with Gary, his aunt (JaNean Mercer) and his grandmother (Mildred Mercer) and together they'll do what's best for Lamar. And I'll help him any way I can."

Vaccaro, who is employed by adidas, said the shoe company does not sponsor pro teams in Europe. But he said if Odom opted to go overseas, he'd attract plenty of interest.

"He'll have to get an agent if he wants to go play overseas," Vaccaro said. "And I'm sure there would be no problem finding someone to represent him."

Should Odom opt to play professionally, be it in Europe or at home in the Continental Basketball Association, it will end any thoughts of playing collegiately in the U.S.

If he elects not to go pro, he could go to a prep school and play and take elective courses. Or he could enroll in a junior college and play. His test score would not be a criterion for eligibility at the JC level.

And if he chose to, Odom could seek to attend another Division I school. However, he might face the same scrutiny from the NCAA that he did after he enrolled at UNLV. It might mean answering questions and/or retaking the ACT if the ACT invalidated his score from last fall.

Charles said Odom will make up his mind in the next couple of weeks.

"There's a lot of things Lamar can do," he said. "The main thing is that Lamar does what's best for him."