LOS ANGELES -- Lamar Odom, who has shown some signs recently of being the teenager he is, says he believes it's time to grow up.

Odom, who probably dropped a couple of places in the draft by being a no-show at several NBA draft functions, was picked by the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 4 overall in Wednesday's draft.

After declaring for the draft this year following his sophomore season at Rhode Island, Odom decided, briefly, that he wanted to return to school.

Then he skipped the Chicago pre-draft camp, broke several appointments to try out for teams, and then didn't show up at Tuesday's media session before the draft in Washington.

Odom said that it wasn't that he wanted to miss all the appointments, but that "I was going through a time when I was having trouble with my representation and I really was uncomfortable with a lot of things."

"But that's behind me," he said in a conference call shortly after the Clippers selected him. "I want the Clippers to know that, besides a good basketball player, they're getting a good citizen and a great kid.

" Of course I made some mistakes, but I'm only 19. I learned from my mistakes. Now I'm a man, and I'm ready to play basketball in a man's world, and that's the NBA."

Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor decided after a telephone conversation with Odom that the Clippers would take the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder who can play almost every position.

Baylor said the Clippers were ecstatic that Odom was still available when their turn came, and that the team executives feel he will mature.

"He was trying to decide whether to go back to school," Baylor said. "He feels now that he's ready (to be in the NBA). I think he was just indecisive. He was not sure what he wanted to do."

Coach Chris Ford, who seemed delighted with the choice, doesn't think the Clippers will have any problems with Odom.

"He's only 19 years old. We will put him in a situation where we can help him grow," Ford said. "He's made mistakes, but he has never been in serious trouble; there was nothing in the kid's past to say he was untouchable."

Baylor said team officials had spoken with Jim Harrick, Odom's coach at Rhode Island, and "Harrick had nothing but great things to say about him."

Odom, who transferred from UNLV and missed the 1997-98 season, averaged 17.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists for Rhode Island last season.

The Clippers also were interested in UCLA guard Baron Davis, but Charlotte took him with the No. 3 pick.