Darvin Ham Wants Russell Westbrook To Win Sixth Man Of The Year

Los Angeles Lakers head coach wants Russell Westbrook to be in the conversation to win Sixth Man Of The Year.

2 Min Read

Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers just pulled off an incredible win over the New Orleans Pelicans in OT that saw the entire team put on a strong performance. While they were outmatched and got lucky with the Pelicans missing free throws and layups, they got the job done through the grit and toughness that everyone expected Darvin Ham to bring to the team.

Coach Ham is clearly a great fit for the team as he has already done something Frank Vogel couldn’t. Convince Russell Westbrook to come off the bench. Westbrook has publicly bought into the idea and it has yielded great results for the Lakers so far, going 2-1 in games with Westbrook as their sixth man. As a result, coach Ham wants Westbrook to be in the conversation to win Sixth Man Of The Year.

If the Lakers can actually overcome their 0-5 start and become a solid playoff team that’s above .500, Westbrook could very well be in that conversation. However, there are better candidates for the award through the first month of the season in Christian Wood on the Dallas Mavericks and Jordan Poole on the Golden State Warriors.


What Does Westbrook Need To Do To Win The Award?

The issue with Russ being too proud to come off the bench is clearly in the past. He has made the team objectively much better since he agreed to come off the bench and that sort of positive impact doesn’t go unnoticed. Considering how heavily scrutinized he’s been, it makes for a wonderful story for the voters as well.

However, it will be tough to beat out some of the other contenders as they are all on teams with better records than the Lakers. All awards ultimately factor in how many wins a player contributed to, and it’ll be challenging for Russ to win it if they are far behind in record to the Mavs or the Warriors and their leading sixth men. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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