Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham has agreed to a four-year deal to turn into the following coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, sources advised ESPN on Friday.
Ham separated himself within the course of in latest days, interviewing with Lakers officers on Thursday and provoking a proposal on Friday afternoon, sources mentioned. The Lakers had been bought on Ham’s stature and toughness, his historical past of teaching star gamers, championship pedigree as an assistant and participant, sources mentioned. Ham’s historical past with the Lakers franchise for 2 years — 2011-13 — performed an element in his hiring, too.
Ham will probably be charged with returning these Lakers to the postseason after a disastrous 33-49 season that value Frank Vogel his job. One in every of Ham’s most vital directives: Discovering a strategy to incorporate future Corridor of Fame guard Russell Westbrook into the franchise’s framework with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It was a major topic of each Lakers teaching interview within the course of, sources mentioned.
“So rattling EXCITED!!!!!!!! Congrats and welcome Coach DHam!!” James tweeted Friday evening in response to the hiring.
Ham has been part of one of many league’s most profitable teaching timber below Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer — together with Memphis’ Taylor Jenkins, Utah’s Quin Snyder and Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson. Ham spent 9 seasons with Budenholzer in Atlanta and Milwaukee, together with profitable the 2021 NBA championship collectively.
Ham performed eight seasons within the NBA, profitable a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2014.
The Lakers carried out interviews with two of the three finalists this week — Ham and Terry Stotts, sources mentioned. After the Ham interview, the franchise knew they’d their coach.
