Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham has accepted a four-year contract to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN sources said Friday.
Ham split in the process in recent days, meeting with Lakers officials Thursday and inspiring an offer Friday afternoon, sources said. The Lakers were sold for Ham’s height and toughness, his history as a star player coach, the championship pedigree as an assistant and player, sources said. Ham’s two-year history with the Lakers franchise (2011-13) also played an important role in his hiring.
Ham will be in charge of returning these Lakers to the postseason after a disastrous 33-49 season that cost Frank Vogel his job. One of Ham’s most important guidelines is to find a way to incorporate future Hall of Fame guard Russell Westbrook into the franchise framework with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It was an important topic in every Lakers coach interview in the process, sources said.
Ham has been one of the most successful coaching staff in the league under Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, including Taylor Jenkins of Memphis, Quin Snyder of Utah and Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson. Ham spent nine seasons with Budenholzer in Atlanta and Milwaukee, including winning the 2021 NBA Championship together.
Ham played eight seasons in the NBA, winning a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2014.
The Lakers interviewed two of the three finalists this week: Ham and Terry Stotts, sources said. After the interview with Ham, the franchise knew he had his coach.