Former Lakers HC lands intriguing, familiar gig

Since his eight-year playing career ended in 2005, Darvin Ham has had two stints with the Lakers, and this will be his second with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Ham was an assistant in Los Angeles from 2011-13, with the Atlanta Hawks from 2013-18 and then with Milwaukee from 2018-2022, winning a championship ring in 2021. He was hired as the Lakers' head coach in May 2022 but only lasted two seasons.

Los Angeles went 90-74 during Ham's tenure, making the playoffs twice and earning the first in-season tournament title, but was just 9-12 in two postseason appearances. The Lakers advanced to the 2023 Western Conference Finals but were swept by eventual champion Denver before the Nuggets ended their season again in 2024, this time in the first round in a gentlemen's sweep.

The former small forward was fired by the organization only four days after the season ended. It was reported in early May, however, that Ham was expected to find another coaching job soon.

Aside from his recent time on Milwaukee's bench, Ham also played three seasons with the Bucks from 1999-2022, playing 134 regular season games and making 36 starts with the squad while suiting up for 19 more (11 starts) in the playoffs.

While Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers has a sketchy playoff legacy that he needs to fix, the Bucks have plenty of recent playoff success and the superstars in tow to make the job a desirable one for Ham.

The team has made eight straight postseason appearances, and though the last two years have ended in first-round exits, it will have two of the best players in the game helping its attempt to get over the hump in Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo has been the team's unquestioned leader since winning the league's Most Improved Player of the Year award in his fourth season in 2017. Both he and Ham have tasted championship glory and know what it takes to win in Milwaukee, and although Rivers has playoff demons to exorcise, he still has NBA Finals experience from his time with the Boston Celtics.

Now, Ham will look to help bring more success to the Bucks.