Former NBA star Odom, Brownlee tapped as Mighty reinforcements

NATIONAL Basketball Association (NBA) veteran Lamar Odom and Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee will reinforce Mighty Sports in the Dubai International Basketball Tournament in February next year.

Odom announced his plan to play for Mighty Sports through his Instagram, adding that he is excited about the opportunity to represent the Philippines in the Dubai tournament that will draw top Middle East teams.

This will mark the second time that Mighty Sports will be competing in the premier Middle East tournament, having played there two years ago with Brownlee as one of the team’s imports.

Mighty Sports team owner Caesar Wongchuking is also hoping to tap other NBA veterans to boost their title campaign after producing only one win the last time.

“We welcome Mr. Lamar Odom to the Mighty Sports family, ”Wong chuking said. “It’s a great honor to have such a great player to be part of our team representing the Philippines. My thanks to coach Charles Tiu and payer agent Sheryl Reyes.”

Tiu said American Randolf Morris, who plays for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association, will also join the team.

Odom, 39, made waves during his stint with the LA Lakers where he helped superstar Kobe Bryant win the championships in 2009 and 2010. He also played for the US team in the 2004 Olympics and 2010 Fiba World Championship.

Wongchuking also plans to invite collegiate stars like De La Salle’s Santi Santillan and University of the Philippines’s Juan Gomez de Liaño along with Gab Banal and former Philippine Basketball Association star Joseph Yeo.

“We hope to add star power to the team because we have lots of fans in Dubai,” Wongchuking said.

This early, Odom is eager to meet his teammates and interact with Filipino fans. He is scheduled to arrive in January next year.