Lamar Odom -- I Want Basketball, Not Crack, As My Legacy

Lamar Odom can't be that torn up over his impending divorce, because he was out training hard yesterday for what he still believes will be an NBA comeback to save his legacy.

We know what Lamar is saying ... he believes he could be back on an NBA court by New Year's Day. It sounds improbable and maybe even impossible, but he's convinced he can quickly make a comeback and that's why he's training like an animal.

And this is interesting ... he wants back on a team not just to play basketball again ... he's worried about his legacy. He doesn't want people to remember him as a crackhead ... he wants to go out as the 6th man -- a basketball star.

As for the photo ... Lamar was leaving a training facility in the L.A. area. We're told he's there every day for hours.