The Los Angeles Lakers have made one of the most important calls of the offseason, signing Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham as their new head coach.
L.A. reportedly invited Ham, Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts for the final interview round. But the Purple and Gold are believed to have decided to pick Ham for the job after the Bucks assistant made a strong impression on the franchise’s leadership in several areas.
Ham reportedly signed a four-year contract with L.A. and will soon start putting together his staff — hoping to bring in someone with head coaching experience. After the news broke on Friday night, LeBron James joined the elated Lakers fans in celebrating the arrival of the team’s new head coach:
So damn EXCITED!!!!!!!! Congrats and welcome Coach DHam!! ?????????? #LakeShow??
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 28, 2022
Ham was believed to be James’ preferred choice for the position, which makes sense considering the 48-year-old’s reputation as a coach with a strong personality.
Ham reunites with the Lakers after serving as Mike Brown’s assistant in L.A. between 2011-2013. He then worked under Mike Budenholzer on the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks until this year, winning the NBA title with the Bucks last season.
Stotts reportedly not interest in Lakers lead assistant job
Even before Ham’s signing, rumors emerged about the Lakers hoping Stotts would agree to become the team’s lead assistant. But the former Blazers head coach reportedly said he wasn’t interested in the position.
However, he is believed to have been intrigued by the possibility of coaching Russell Westbrook.
As of now, the Charlotte Hornets seem to be Stotts’ only chance to get a head coaching job this summer, as all other vacancies in the NBA have already been filled.
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