The LA Lakers are on an improbable run to the playoffs and just shocked the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors by decisively taking them out in six games.
Lakers fans are cheering on the ageless LeBron James, praying for Anthony Davis to remain healthy and marveling at the emergence of undrafted Oklahoma rookie, Austin Reaves.
And while the team is also getting outstanding contributions from players like Rui Hachimura and Lonnie Walker IV, many overlook the man in charge- Davin Ham.
Last June, Ham was introduced as the 28th head coach of the Lakers. He didn’t receive much fanfare at the time despite returning to the team where he was an assistant coach from 2011 – 2013.
Maybe it’s because Ham wasn’t a star as a player or a coach.
Ham played collegiately at Texas Tech for three years, averaging 8.1 ppg and 5.1 rpg over his tenure with the Red Raiders. He then played in the NBA for eight years with six different teams, averaging a mere 2.7 ppg and 2.3 rpg. And he actually won an NBA title with Detroit in 2004 so while he lacks stats, he has something all NBA players crave.
“I wasn’t blessed with this otherworldly talent,” said Ham at his Lakers’ introductory press conference. “I was a pretty good athlete who could hold my own on the court a little bit, but the sweet jump shots, the no look passes, that wasn’t a part of my game.
While Ham didn’t impress on the floor, he was learning the game for his next career in coaching. And his style of play helped him transition into the field.
“I was a blue-collar contributor on a lot of teams,” said Ham. “It prepares you, creates a certain type of mentality to where you don’t want to cut any corners. Understand what the details are. Whether you’re watching film, talking about coverages or doing workouts in the summertime. Being specifically locked in on what your job is going to be.”
It’s obvious that he made an impact as an assistant coach as the stars of two teams, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, both praised their former assistant coach.
“I’m so happy for him. He’s the right fit for them. He keeps it real with you. No BS at all. It’s about damn time. He deserves it more than anyone,” said Giannis to ESPN.
But while the accolades were great, the start of the season wasn’t.
The Lakers stumbled out of the gate to a 2-10 start and were bashed daily for their poor performance. Some questioned whether LeBron was finally too old while others ridiculed Anthony Davis as being a fragile, injury-riddled star.
But in January, the team started making moves when they shipped Kendrick Nunn and draft picks to the Washington Wizards for Rui Hachimura.
A month later, the Lakers were finally able to unload Russell Westbrook while re-acquiring guard D’Angelo Russell. Those trades quickly changed their trajectory as the Lakers went 27-13 and are now eight wins away from the franchise’s 18th NBA title.
How did they do it? They adopted the playing style of their head coach, Darvin Ham by “locking in” on the roles they had to play in order to win.
Shot to the head aside, AD has stayed healthy and has been a force on both sides of the floor. Hachimura has adapted to being an offensive threat off the bench, Russell has been allowed to play more freely and players like Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt have made the most of their opportunities. And of course, LeBron is still LeBron.
But the Lakers’ success comes down to coaching, which involves recognizing talent, sticking to the basics and also making adjustments.
That’s just what Ham has done.
He navigated through a poor start to the season with a roster that lacked chemistry. Once the proper talent was in place, the team went on a run that includes their playoff series against the Warriors where Ham’s team effectively neutralized every player not named Steph Curry.
This is the reason why GM Rob Pelinka hired Ham as head coach.
“Our players and fans will immediately identify with Darvin’s no-nonsense and hard-working approach, which we feel will bring toughness and a competitive edge to all we do,” said Pelinka while introducing Ham back in June.
“When you add that to Darvin’s sophisticated grasp of in-game strategy and deep knowledge of the game of basketball, we have the ideal coach for this next chapter in Lakers history. We could not be more honored and proud to name Darvin Ham as our new head coach.”
Under Ham’s leadership, the Lakers made history and, according to OptaStats, became “the first team in MLB/NBA/NFL/NHL history to finish in last place outright in their division yet be among the final four teams remaining in the playoffs that season.”
They are also the second team in NBA history to reach the conference finals after starting the season at 2-10 (the 1977-78 Seattle Supersonics were the first).
That’s coaching, and that’s why Darvin Ham deserves more credit for the Lakers’ run to the Conference Finals.
So while you’re rightfully celebrating the team, LeBron and AD, don’t forget to give Darvin Ham his rightful props while you’re at it.
