Lamar Odom has been thrust into the media circus that his in-laws so often tread in and he only has himself to blame for it. The basketball ace was presumed missing over the weekend following a report from TMZ said that he had gone AWOL after being kicked out of the house by Khloe Kardashian. It turns out that Lamar never actually went missing after all, but the rest of his troubles are very real nonetheless.

Khloe & Lamar
Khloe and Lamar in happier times last year

Odom's agent Jeff Schwartz told ESPN that the missing persons story was hokum and that "Lamar is not missing. His wife knows exactly where he is," before adding that he is still intent on continuing his career in the NBA. ESPN later reported that he had been staying at a Los Angeles hotel since he was given the boot by Khloe last week, adding that he was staying there under the guidance of friends who are trying to control his drug habit.

Lamar Odom
Lamar played for the Los Angeles Clippers last season, but is a free agent now

It was feared that his disappearance was down to his drug problem, however his brief stay off the grid may have been more to do with him getting himself under control once again, but whether or not the missing claims are true or not, the point that remains is that he is suffering from a drug problem and he needs help.

This isn't the first time that Lamar has been given help to overcome his taste of narcotics either, with the star forced into a San Diego rehabilitation facility last year, although his last stay in rehab wasn't a particularly successful one. Lamar lasted three weeks after being put into rehab against his will last year, and although his return to basketball helped with his experimentation, the end of the current season appears to have forced him to relapse.

The Odom-Kardashian union is currently at breaking point, with Lamar's next steps the make-or-break glances into their future as a couple. For their sake, and for the sake of his health, we hope Lamar makes the right call.

Lamar and Khloe Kardashian-Odom
Is this the end for Lamar and Khloe?