Old photo of LeBron James and Darvin Ham goes viral

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will soon be coached by someone he used to play against. Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Old photo of LeBron James and new Lakers coach Darvin Ham goes viral

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated 5/28/22

LeBron James has certainly been around the block for quite some time now.

On Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers hired Darvin Ham to become their next head coach, according to multiple reports. Ham was previously an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks and also played in the NBA for many years.

An incredible old photo of Ham and LeBron James went viral in light of the news. The photo from 2004 showed Ham, who was then a member of the Detroit Pistons, guarding James, then a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Darvin Ham guarding 19-year-old LeBron James, November 24, 2004 pic.twitter.com/AxLrgxw6ON

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 28, 2022

It is hard to believe that James, 37, and Ham, 48, played in the NBA at the same time. Since that photo was taken, Ham left the NBA (in 2005), played in the Philippines, played in the NBA D League, then coached in the NBA D League, became an assistant coach in the NBA, made three different multiyear stops as an assistant coach, won the championship with Milwaukee last season and finally got hired as Lakers coach. Now Ham will be coaching James, who has continued to play in the NBA all throughout that time.

Ham has the unenviable task of turning around an aging Lakers team that went 33-49 this season and still potentially has to make it work with a Big Three of James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. For James specifically, he offered his reaction to the hiring of Ham on Friday.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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