Getty Darvin Ham and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, a former assistant of the Milwaukee Bucks, has been in the light recently for all of the wrong reasons. Lakers fans are some of the best in the world but when it comes to losing, they’re going to let you know that it’s unacceptable. As for that, Ham has faced some backlash in recent weeks and questions remain about his job security.
LeBron James’ head coach will always be looked at under a magnifying glass and that’s the case now for Ham. However, he understands that and spoke about how coaching Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kobe Bryant will help coach arguably the greatest player the game has ever seen. Ham said the following, per Sam Amick of The Athletic:
“I know the situation. I’ve been here before. I started here. So I understand the gravity of being with Kobe (Bryant), with (Milwaukee’s) Giannis (Antetokounmpo, whom he coached as an assistant from 2018 to 2022) and now with (LeBron), of what you’re fighting for. And I’m the same (as them). I’ve won two championships (one as a player with the Pistons in 2004, and the other with the Bucks as an assistant in 2021). That’s the most addictive drug ever, you know what I’m saying? So you’ve got a situation where I want to get back to that. But we can’t skip steps, and there’s certain s–t that we’re gonna have to go through.”
Giannis Looked At as One of the Best Ever
With two MVPs, a ring, and a finals MVP, Antetokounmpo is already regarded as one of the best players in NBA history. While not at the level of Lakers stars LeBron and Bryant, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar has the accolades to end with a decorated career that’s similar to two of the best to ever lace them up.
In the past, Giannis has said that LeBron James is the greatest player ever. He’s constantly given him his respect after competing against him countless times throughout his career.
In October of 2023, Antetokounmpo called LeBron the best, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
“Some guys might say he is No. 2, but other guys like me, I say he is No. 1, and he’s still going.”
Darvin Ham Under Stress for Lakers
On January 4, 2024, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that there’s a disconnect between Ham and the Los Angeles Lakers locker room.
“There’s currently a deepening disconnect between Darvin Ham and the Lakers locker room, six sources with direct knowledge of the situation say, raising questions about the head coach’s standing. The people spoke with The Athletic on condition of anonymity so that they could speak freely on the matter. Those sources have described that the disjointedness between the coach and team has stemmed from the extreme rotation and starting lineup adjustments recently from Ham, leading to a fluctuating rhythm for several players across the roster.”
This report came after the Lakers had lost their 9th time in 12 games, a new low for the team after winning the In-Season Tournament.
As the season progresses, change is possible for the Lakers if he doesn’t figure it out. They aren’t afraid to fire coaches as we’ve seen in the past and that won’t be any different this time around with the former Milwaukee Bucks head coach.