Former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has already found a new job after being fired by the Lakers in May. Ham, who spent two seasons with the Lakers, was hired by the Milwaukee Bucks as their top assistant coach on June 10.
Since Ham’s hiring, some notable details about the hire have come to light, including that Ham reportedly accepted the position with the belief that he would eventually take over as head coach of the Bucks when Doc Rivers retired (per Gery Woelfel).
I recently chatted with some NBA sources since former Lakers player Darvin Ham joined the Bucks staff.
They insisted that Giannis Antetokounmpo had a major influence on Ham’s hiring (shocking, right?)
Some of these sources also claim that Ham, who had offers from several other teams, …— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) June 19, 2024
Rivers, once ranked among the top 15 coaches in NBA history, will enter his first full season as head coach of the Bucks in 2024-25. He is currently 62 years old and has been a head coach since 1999. He has been head coach with the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and now the Bucks.
The other nugget that came out was that Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was “a big part” of the Bucks hiring Ham, according to Woelfel. The eight-time NBA All-Star and 2021 NBA champion is one of the best players in the league, making this a huge compliment for Ham.
If everything goes according to Ham’s alleged plans, it would be great for him because he would take over a team that regularly competes for the playoffs and he would have one of the best players in the league at his side.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have hired former NBA guard JJ Redick as their next head coach.
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