Okay - so to be able to explain this and the symbolism of it I need to paint a little picture.
Everyone knows about Odom’s overdose and bender at the Vegas brothel. He’s said that he started taking drugs not long after being drafted by the clippers as it was a coping mechanism for him when life got tough. Unfortunately, things were tough often growing up in Queens, NY with a father who was a heroin addict.
He is quoted as saying that death followed him through his life. His mother, Cathy died of cancer when he was 12, his grandma and then his first born son Jayden died of SIDS, and then a 15 year old boy (name with held) who ran in front of his SUV.
Off the court, drugs were his out. On the court, he’d write the names of those who left him to turn to for guidance when things got hard. In this instance, being traded from Miami to LA - new city, not performing to his potential, etc. he’d use his Mother Cathy and his Grandma as his inspiration if he was to hang his head to dig deep and give that extra effort.