Lamar Odom is offering some advice to Travis Kelce about prioritizing his relationship with Taylor Swift amid the ongoing media attention.
The 44-year-old retired NBA player dealt with a similar situation in the late 2000s when he started dating Khloé Kardashian. Odom, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers at the time, made headlines for his romance with Kardashian and his appearances on her show, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” The two married in 2009 and were featured in their own spinoff series, “Khloé and Lamar,” which ran for two seasons.
Odom and Kardashian finalized their divorce in 2016, People reported, but he has continued to discuss their past connection and his current relationship with her family over the years. So, learning from his experience, the former athlete gave an insightful answer when asked recently if he had any tips for Kelce about dating Swift.
“My advice would be to be strong and stay by her and be as close to her as possible,” Odom said in an interview with The Messenger. “There are going to be millions of women that want to taste what Taylor Swift is tasting and it can be overwhelming because we’re men.”
The retired Laker added, “He just has to be strong and stick by his girl and he’ll be alright.”
He also shared an update about his relationship with members of the Kardashian family. He recently showed support for Caitlyn Jenner last month when she was honored at the Spirit of Lincoln Gala at the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, Calif.
“Once you’re family, you’re always family to me,” he said, explaining his attendance at the event. “I will never turn my back on my family. You’re always going to go through hard times but hard times are just times you’re going to get through and learn from.”
Odom is the latest athlete to weigh in on Kelce and Swift’s relationship. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes —Kelce’s teammate and close friend — commented on their connection and constant media attention during an “NFL Live” interview Nov. 17.
He told reporter Jeff Darlington that the recent news coverage the team is receiving is similar to the spotlight on the Chiefs after they won their second Super Bowl earlier this year.
“I don’t think it feels any different. People see the whole Taylor Swift and Travis (thing) and they make it a huge deal because it is a huge deal. I think it becomes a bigger deal to the fan bases than it does to the guys who are actually in the building,” Mahomes explained.
He continued, “I’ve been lucky enough to meet Taylor and see how good of a person she is. I think you understand why it’s not become a distraction or anything like that because everybody cares about being the best they can be every day.”
Recently, the “Karma” singer has been busy wrapping up the final 2023 concert dates for her “Eras Tour,” meaning she couldn’t attend some of the Chiefs’ recent games. However, now that her tour has ended for the year, Swifties are waiting to see if pop icon stops by the Chiefs’ game against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 3 to cheer on the tight end and his team.