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Among various reports, the Los Angeles Lakers are set to hire Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham to replace Frank Vogel for the upcoming NBA season. Vogel was fired on 11 April. Reports also suggest that Ham will be a first-time head coach and is set to receive a four-year contract.
NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski had recently tweeted about the news and said, “Ham made a strong impression on Lakers in several areas, including his championship pedigree, his commanding presence, history of coaching stars and toughness.” Another source reported, “Ham will start assembling a staff expected to include head coaching experience.”
Similarly, Athletic’s Shams Chanaria also reported the news and said, “Sources: The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring Bucks assistant Darvin Ham on a four-year contract.”
Los Angles Lakers forward and four-time NBA champion LeBron James also expressed his excitement towards the new appointment and tweeted, “So damn EXCITED!!!!!!!! Congrats and welcome Coach DHam!! ?????????? #LakeShow??.”
The Michigan native has played eight seasons in the NBA, from 1996 to 2005 where he won a championship in the 2004 season with the Detroit Pistons. In the last 11 seasons, the 48-year-old was also an assistant coach with the Lakers from 2011 to 2013, Atlanta Hawks from 2013 to 2018 and the Milwaukee Bucks in the last four years.
In the past week, Ham was reportedly one of the three finalists for the job after Vogel’s firing following one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. In addition to Ham, former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, and former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson were the other two coaches in the discussion. Reports say that Stotts had an in-person interview with the Lakeshow earlier this week, while Ham reportedly met with the Lakers on Thursday.
Ham could have aced the interview with his former colleagues in the organization as he was reportedly offered the job less than 24 hours later. The situation surrounding Kenny Atkinson’s in-person with the Lakers is still unknown as he is currently an assistant for the Golden State Warriors, who defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals to reach the NBA Finals.