By Reuters Staff

(Reuters) - Former pro basketball player and reality TV star Lamar Odom spent a third day hospitalized on Thursday, reportedly on life support following a series of strokes, after collapsing at a Nevada brothel where authorities said he had been using cocaine.

With family and friends at his bedside and fans praying for his recovery, the estranged husband of Khloe Kardashian was reported to be in critical condition after being found unresponsive at the Love Ranch brothel on Tuesday.

Celebrity news outlets TMZ.com and "Entertainment Tonight" reported on Thursday that Odom's kidneys were failing and he has been placed on dialysis. Other outlets have said he had suffered several strokes, was breathing with the assistance of a ventilator and had only a 50-50 chance of recovery.

Brothel staff told authorities Odom had used cocaine and as many as 10 tablets of a sexual performance-enhancing supplement during his four-day stay there, the Nye County Sheriff said. The National Basketball Association star has long been rumored to have struggled with drug abuse.

"Entertainment Tonight" said Odom had briefly fluttered open his eyes on Wednesday night and may have squeezed the hand of Khloe Kardashian's sister, Kim Kardashian, who was among those at the hospital.

The Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in Las Vegas, where Odom, 35, was being treated has declined to comment on his condition, citing patient confidentiality.

Odom's estranged father, Joe Odom, the athlete's two children from a previous relationship, and his ex-girlfriend were also photographed entering the hospital.

Odom split with Kardashian in 2013 after a whirlwind romance and marriage that was captured on the TV show "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and its spinoff series "Khloe and Lamar."

Although the couple signed divorce papers in July, a Los Angeles Superior Court spokeswoman said the divorce has yet to be finalized and they remain legally married.

People magazine, citing a source close to the family, said on Thursday that Khloe Kardashian was tasked with making medical decisions about Odom's treatment but was "overwhelmed" by the unexpected responsibility.

Despite Odom's 14 seasons with the NBA, U.S. media have largely focused this week on his brief membership in the most famous family on reality television.

ESPN sportscaster Scott Van Pelt took issue with the celebrity-skewed coverage, noting Odom's accomplishments as a multiple NBA champion and beloved teammate.

"I understand not everyone watches sports, but 'Kardashian reality star?' His name is Lamar Odom, and we knew it, long before he got married on a TV show we don't watch," Van Pelt said on his "SportsCenter" show on Wednesday.

Kardashian's mother, Kris Jenner, posted a photo of Odom in his Los Angeles Lakers uniform on her Instagram account, asking fans to "please pray for Lamar #ourfighter."