Lamar Odomis feeling grateful to be a celebrity competitor onDancing with the Stars‘ upcoming season.
The former NBA player, 39, spoke to PEOPLE on Wednesday after beingannouncedas one of the12 celebritiestaking on the dance floor in season 28 ofDWTS.
“Hopefully just giving me strength in everything I do,” Odom said of his hopes. “Every day I’m just trying to get better and better and better, be a better person. Hopefully just bring out the best in me.”
Odom added that it is “a blessing” to be cast on the ABC series. “Of course just to be alive and of course to be out on the stage and dance in front of America, it’s a blessing,” he said.
The athlete also spoke about his history withDWTS —he was married toKhloé Kardashianwhen her sisterKim Kardashiancompeted on season 7 in 2008. Kim was the third celebrity eliminated, along with her partner,Mark Ballas.
Dave Kotinsky/Getty
“Yeah, it was a good experience for us and the family, and hopefully I can carry that momentum into this,” Odom said.
Odom and Khloé, 35, tied the knot in 2009 just one month after they met. They split after four years of marriage due to his struggles with addiction and infidelity, and their divorce was finalized in 2016.
In a recent interview onDish Nationwith his new girlfriend, personal trainer and life coach Sabrina Parr, Odom said that he has “definitely moved on” from his relationship with Khloé.
Odom also opened up about his recently published memoir,Darkness to Light: A Memoir, which chronicled hisstruggleswith drugs and alcohol, hissex addiction, and his split from Khloé.
“It’s the truth. I thought it was time to have that therapy session,” he said of the book.
On Aug. 2, the former NBA star unveiled his “new woman” with an Instagram photo of himself and Parr.
Lamar Odom/Instagram
Odom will be joining The Supremes’ Mary Wilson,The Bachelorette‘sHannah Brown, supermodelChristie Brinkley, country starLauren Alaina, actorJames Van Der Beek, NFL legend Ray Lewis,The Officestar Kate Flannery, pop starAlly Brooke,Queer Eye‘sKaramo Brown, former press secretary Sean Spicer, and comedian/actorKel Mitchellin the ballroom this season.
Season 28 ofDancing with the Starspremieres Sept. 16 on ABC.
source: people.com
