Basketball Player Lamar Odom Departs the New York State Supreme Court After a Child Custody Hearing with His ex-Girlfriend, Liza Morales, in Manhattan
IN PHOTO: Basketball player Lamar Odom departs the New York state Supreme Court after a child custody hearing with his ex-girlfriend, Liza Morales, in Manhattan, March 5, 2013. Reuters

Lamar Odom's weight gain should not be a big deal as it only means that the drug is completely out of his system.

Odom can't seem to escape the prying eyes of the public amid his ongoing and high-profile divorce with reality TV star Khloe Kardashian.

Recently, he was pictured looking a little heavier than he used to and people could only speculate that all the divorce drama and his ex-wife's new found love could be stressing him too much to make him pack on pounds.

A source close to Lamar has again defended him saying the National Basketball Association (NBA) player is putting on weight because he's "drug-free" and he's getting ready for the NBA.

"At the height of Lamar's drug binge in recent months, he just wasn't eating," a source told Radar Online.

The source added the drugs killed Lamar's appetite and now that he's clean, he is gaining weight and becoming healthier than ever before.

"The drugs just killed his appetite," added the source.

"The good news is that Lamar is now drug free and has been putting on weight."

He reportedly is getting ready to build his muscles and shed off excess weight for his NBA comeback.

"He is much healthier and is now working on shedding the excess pounds and getting back in shape for the upcoming NBA season."

Odom did not play in the NBA in 2013 and his absence in the NBA can be attributed to a number of personal issues such as his failing marriage with Khloe and alleged drug abuse.

In April, his hope of playing in the premiere basketball league has been revived after he was signed by the New York Knicks for a non-guaranteed deal.

Knicks Pres. Phil Jackson told the New York Post in an interview that having Odom in the roster is a "good risk-reward situation."

The 34-year-old basketball athlete began his training in June.

"He wants to put himself back together, and he has a chance to do that by having the whole summer to work at it and getting himself back in basketball condition to play," Jackson said.