Darvin Ham Sr. is the serving head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and a former assistant coach for multiple teams from 2011 to June 2022. As a player, he played for twelve years from 1996 till 2008.
Back in the day, Darvin was a well-built, muscular, offensive player gifted with physical attributes that helped him play in the NBA for about eight seasons. A Small forward, Ham was an effective scorer from closer to the rim and a decent mid-range shooter.
For a brief period from 1999 to 2002, Darwin’s offensive and defensive gameplay were at their peak as Darvin averaged 4.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, one assist, 0.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks a game, making him a key rotation player for the Milwaukee Bucks.
In 2004, Ham was part of the famous Pistons team that beat the heavy favorite Lakers to once again become NBA Champions after a fourteen-year gap.
As Darvin’s playing career slowly approached its end, he joined the NBA G League and played the 2007-08 season, scoring 10.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game.
Darvin Ham Teams Coached
Darvin Ham has worked as a coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Milwaukee Bucks. For eleven seasons, Darvin served as an assistant coach before eventually taking over as the Head Coach for the Lakers in June 2022.
As Assistant Coach
Darvin Ham began as an assistant coach in the main league in 2011 for the Lakers. Darvin joined the coaching staff a season after the team’s Western Conference semi-final defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1.
During Darvin Ham’s time with Los Angeles from 2011 to 2013, the Lakers qualified for the Playoffs back to back but couldn’t get past the second round of the Western Conference.
Darvin later joined the Atlanta Hawks coaching staff for the 2013-14 season headed by Coach Mike Budenholzer. During his time at Atlanta, the Hawks managed to qualify for the playoffs four times and came close to reaching the finals in 2015 but lost to a Lebron-led Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0.
After he departed from the Hawks in 2018, Darvin again joined Budenholzer in Milwaukee where the duo worked its charm and pushed the Bucks to their first NBA title in 2021 after 50 years.
Darvin Ham built a mutual connection with the players and in many ways was instrumental in individual successes within the team.
As Head Coach
After his departure in 2013, Darvin came back to Los Angeles in 2022 as the Head Coach. After a disappointing 2-10 start, Darvin rallied the team in the last leg of the regular season to a respectable 43-39 as the Lakers settled at the seventh spot.
Entering the 2023 playoffs on a promising note, Darvin Ham led the Lakers past the second-seed Grizzlies team in the first round and the defending champions Warriors in the second round to the Western Conference Finals where they fell to a slightly better Nuggets team 4-0.
FAQs
A. Darvin went undrafted in the 1996 draft but was soon signed by the Denver Nuggets as a free agent.
A. Darvin attended Texas Tech University from 1992 to 1996.
A. Darvin was born in Saginaw, Michigan on July 23, 1973.
A. Darvin Ham has a coaching record of 47 wins – 40 losses.
