Odom’s Infant Son Dies in New York

The infant son of Lakers forward Lamar Odom died Wednesday night in New York, apparently suffocating while sleeping in his crib, a Lakers official said.

Jayden Odom was born last December, the third child of Odom and his longtime girlfriend.

“Obviously, we’re very sad,” Lakers spokesman John Black said. “Lamar was in New York attending the funeral of his aunt. It’s yet another tragedy. Our hearts go out to Lamar and his family. We send out our condolences.”

The New York Police Department did not have any information about the incident.

Odom’s other children, Destiny and Lamar Jr., were 6 and 3 years old when last season began.

Odom, 26, has often credited his late mother, Cathy Mercer, and his late grandmother, Mildred Mercer, as the people who made the biggest difference in his life. He wears No. 7 because it was his grandmother’s lucky number, and he writes his mother’s name on every new pair of basketball shoes before he wears them.

-- Mike Bresnahan