Lamar Odom to Khloé Kardashian: I need space

Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom. Photo / AP

Lamar Odom has reportedly told Khloé Kardashian he needs "space."

The former NBA star, who is recovering at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles after being found unconscious in a Nevada brothel following a drugs and alcohol binge last month, allegedly told his estranged wife to "get out" of his room after his family claimed she blocked his children, Destiny, 17, and Lamar Jr, 13, from a previous relationship, from seeing him before he regained consciousness.

A source said: "Lamar said he needed space and wanted to be alone. He told her to get out."

The insider claims Lamar also believes Khloé, 31, tipped off paparazzi to document her family's comings and goings at the hospital.

But a friend close to the Keeping Up with the Kardashians beauty, who split from Lamar in December 2013 amid rumours he was addicted to drugs and cheating on her, insists she has no control over who visits his bedside and told Us Weekly magazine: "[Khloé's] focused on making sure Lamar is stabilised."

The star, who is still in a relationship with James Harden, called off their divorce so she could make medical decisions for the 35-year-old athlete while he was fighting for his life, and it was previously reported she paid for his family to fly to Las Vegas to be with him before arranging for Lamar to be flown to LA for more specialised treatment.

While Khloé has vowed to support Lamar forever, she has scaled back her visits recently.

A source told PEOPLE.com: "Since Lamar stabilised and moved from the ICU [Intensive Care Unit] to the inpatient rehabilitation unit, Khloé has visited less. After being by his side 24/7 during his stay in the ICU, it's not strange that she is visiting less. Khloé has behaved like most people do."

- Bang! Showbiz