Sawt Falasteen - Bucks assistant coach Ham hired to coach NBA Lakers: reports

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Bucks assistant coach Ham hired to coach NBA Lakers: reports
Bucks assistant coach Ham hired to coach NBA Lakers: reports / Photo: Jared C. Tilton - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Bucks assistant coach Ham hired to coach NBA Lakers: reports

Darvin Ham, a long-time assistant coach for the reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, has been hired as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, according to multiple reports on Friday.

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ESPN reported the Lakers have hired Ham while The Athletic said the team was signing a four-year deal with Ham, who would be getting his first NBA head coaching post.

The Lakers fired Frank Vogel last month after going 33-49 and missing the playoffs.

Vogel, who guided the Lakers to the 2020 NBA title, went 127-98 in three seasons with the club, which struggled last season after injuries to Anthony Davis and LeBron James.

Four-time NBA Most Valuable Player James gave Ham his immediate backing, tweeting: "So damn EXCITED!!!!!!!! Congrats and welcome Coach DHam!!"

The Lakers are in need of a roster revamp to compete in a difficult Western Conference despite winning a crown only two years ago, the fourth career title for James.

Tasked to guide the Lakers back into title contention was Ham, a 48-year-old American who won an NBA title as a forward with Detroit in 2004 and an assistant coach last year with the Bucks.

Ham was an assistant coach for the Lakers from 2011-2013, then spent the next five seasons as an assistant for the Atlanta Hawks before following coach Mike Budenholzer to the Bucks' staff in 2018.

R.Shaban--SF-PST