When you think of Lamar Odom, it’s hard not to immediately recall his whirlwind romance with Khloe Kardashian. Their marriage, separation, and controversies that followed have all been well documented in the corridors of media.

But long before the former NBA star became a household name in reality TV, Odom’s love life was filled with moments of passion, heartbreak, and lessons that shaped the man he became. Let’s take a closer look at the relationships that came before Khloe.

Lamar Odom’s relationships before Khloe Kardashian

The former Los Angeles Lakers star, born and raised in Queens, New York, found love early in life with his teenage sweetheart, Liza Morales. The couple stayed together for over a decade, sharing life’s highs and lows. Their love even brought two beautiful children into the world—Destiny, born in 1998, and Lamar Jr., in 2002.

The two even got engaged in 2000, though they never made it to the altar. Sadly, tragedy struck in 2006 when their youngest child, Jayden, passed away at just six months old due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as reported by the US Weekly. This heartbreaking loss became a turning point in their relationship. Morales later shared how the grief pulled them apart.

“I realized I lost Lamar when our son Jayden passed away,” Morales once told Page Six. “We grieved so differently.” Can you imagine the weight of that pain? For Odom, it allegedly led to substance abuse and partying as a way of coping, which only widened the gap between them.

Despite their breakup, however, the pair reportedly maintained a friendly relationship—until things got messy in 2021. Morales sued Lamar Odom, claiming he stopped honoring a 2015 child support agreement. Around the same time, Morales announced her memoir, Cutting Trauma Ties, which would detail her journey of coping with the ex-NBA star’s addiction and its impact on their family.

After his split with Morales, Lamar Odom found himself in a brief but meaningful romance with actress Taraji P. Henson in 2009. During a 2019 interview, the 2x NBA champ described it as the “most significant relationship” he had with a woman of color. “She gave me inspiration,” he said, reflecting on how her work ethic motivated him.

But as fate would have it, Odom’s relationship with Henson didn’t last long as he later met Khloe Kardashian. And their whirlwind romance led to a headline-making marriage in September 2009—just one month after they started dating.

In 2022, Odom reflected on his relationships, comparing Henson’s talent to Kardashian’s. While he praised Henson’s acting skills, he still called Khloe “a great wife.” It’s clear that each of these relationships left a lasting mark on his life.

Lamar Odom’s personal life after meeting Khloe Kardashian

The 2x NBA champ’s relationship with Khloe seemed like a fairy tale at first glance. The couple even starred in their own reality show, Khloe & Lamar, where they appeared to be the perfect pair. But as many of us know, what we see on-screen doesn’t always reflect reality.

Behind the scenes, their marriage was reportedly full of challenges. This included Lamar’s alleged struggles with infidelity and substance abuse. As per an article by US Weekly, Khloe did everything she could to help her husband during those four years of marriage, but it wasn’t enough. In December 2013, she filed for divorce.

According to reports, she struggled with the idea of leaving him but couldn’t envision having children with someone who wouldn’t seek help for his addiction. And just when things couldn’t get more complicated, tragedy struck. In 2015, Lamar suffered a near-fatal overdose in Las Vegas. Despite their ongoing divorce, Khloe rushed to the hospital to be by his side.

She even withdrew the divorce petition temporarily, explaining later that she wanted to make medical decisions on his behalf. For a moment, fans thought they might reconcile, especially after they were spotted together at Kanye West’s Life of Pablo event in early 2016. But by the end of that year, their divorce was finalized. Lamar eventually moved on and began dating fitness influencer Sabrina Parr in 2019.

The couple’s relationship seemed promising at first. Parr even openly shared her love for Lamar despite his past struggles, saying, “You have to meet people where they are.” Her honesty about Lamar Odom’s need to heal was kind of refreshing.

The two even got engaged and planned a wedding for November 2021. Sadly, things didn’t work out. Parr revealed on Instagram that there were some issues Lamar needed to work on his own. As of 2025, Lamar Odom is reportedly single. His reunion with Khloe on season 6 of The Kardashians, however, surely created a lot of buzz that fans can’t get enough of.