Darvin Ham began his head coaching journey in the 2022-23 season. It did not start well, but in the end, it was not that bad. Moreover, Ham got to be the coach of none other than the Los Angeles Lakers. Arguably the most popular NBA franchise is the Lakers. This franchise has won 17 titles over the years. Moreover, everybody knows that the Lakers are generally a star-studded club. They prefer to bring in stars or groom talents to become stars. Moreover, the Lakers Nation have been waiting for their 18th title since 2020.
Darvin Ham had more pressure because the previous season was horrible, as the team could not make the postseason. Hence, Darvin Ham had to bring a lot of changes to help the team reach their goal. But first, the head coach must gain the respect and trust of his players, especially when most of them are stars. Even though the season did not end as well as expected, there are so many positives to look at for the Lakers from the last season. But how did Darvin Ham manage to bring in the culture in the locker room that he wanted?
Darvin Ham Thanks AD & Bron For Allowing Him To Coach Them
When a team is full of stars, it has a lot of egos. But Darvin Ham credits Anthony Davis and LeBron James with making it so much easier for him in his first season coaching the Lakers. In a recent NBA Radio interview with SiriusXM, Ham mentioned, “When you get such an opportunity, you just have to embrace it. You cannot shy away from it. But I want to thank LeBron James and Anthony Davis for allowing me to coach them.”
Adding to that, Darvin Ham said that both stars bought into what his coaching team was trying to do. Later, when the process clicked for Bron and AD, it became easier for everybody. Moreover, Darvin Ham immensely thanks Anthony Davis and LeBron James for supporting him and his team’s vision. Ham appreciates the focus with which they show up every time. Darvin Ham will hope it continues in the next season as well.
What A Season Lakers Had In Ham’s Debut!
LeBron James assured everybody that he will return for next season. It will be his 21st season in the NBA. The King will be 39 by the next mid-season. Hence, James may not be in his prime. But his presence will surely boost the morale of other players, including Anthony Davis. Ham had a debut head coaching season to remember. The team lost ten out of the first twelve games. There was no balance in the roster.
Moreover, there were multiple injury concerns. But after some intelligent mid-season activities of the front office, Darvin Ham’s team found the much-needed balance. Then the team turned things around to make the postseason. But later, the team did something unthinkable as they beat the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies and the defending champions Golden State Warriors to reach the Western Conference Finals.
