Just days after Darvin Ham was named as the new head coach of the Lakers, his history in the NBA was exposed to the highest degree.
Although he was a relatively low-profile player, Ham did have some notable experiences, especially during the 1997 dunk contest.
As it would be later revealed, Ham once competed against Kobe Bryant in the 1997 featured contest. He performed admirably but was eliminated in the first round with a total score of 36.
Ham played for 8 years in the league for six different teams. He was a backup wing player for the most part and put up an average of 2.7 points per game for his career. He also won the 2004 championship with the Detroit Pistons.
Overall, the hire of Ham has been met with resounding praise from the NBA community. He’s got the experience, respect, and natural talent to turn the situation around for L.A.:
“To see a guy like Darvin Ham from Saginaw, Michigan, went to Saginaw High School, the same place yours truly went to, after Darv obviously. To see him as the head coach of the Lakers, man that’s so much bigger than it may seem to the average basketball fan,” said Draymond Green. “The average fan wants to pick apart ‘oh this guy wasn’t a head coach’ or ‘he’s tough and he can stand up to Russ and LeBron’. For me, that means so much more as a kid for Saginaw who attended the Darvin Ham camp as a kid in hopes that I could one day play in the NBA. The head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a kid for Saginaw? That’s groundbreaking, man.”
Ham will be working with LeBron James and Anthony Davis to bring prosperity back to the Purple and Gold. Despite some early optimism, the road ahead is full of challenges for the franchise.
Whatever the case, any man that has the heart to go against Kobe Bryant in any competition has the means to take on any challenge.
