Bucks Assistant Coach Darvin Ham Reflects on Tenure as Lakers HC

Ham returned to the Bucks' coaching staff this offseason.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks went up against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, marking the first time assistant coach Darvin Ham faced his former team. Ham served as head coach of the Lakers during each of the last two seasons, but the Lakers fired him on May 3rd after the team was eliminated in the first round of the 2023-24 NBA playoffs.

The Lakers were not terrible under Ham by any means — they reached the Western Conference Finals in 2023 and returned to the playoffs the following season — but did not reach the expectations the Lakers have as a franchise, especially with perennial All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the team. Ham compiled a 90-74 record with the Lakers, but it wasn't enough for the franchise.

Ham has since moved on after the firing. He returned to the Bucks as an assistant coach under Doc Rivers, coming back to the team he worked for before becoming the Lakers head coach.

Ahead of Thursday's game between the Lakers and Bucks, Harvin reflected on his tenure with the Lakers.

"The state of the team when they hired me, up until the day they fired me, I like to think it improved. And that's all I care about," Ham told ESPN. "I poured myself, my heart and soul, into that team trying to improve it from where it was -- 33-49. And to get to the Western Conference finals in one year, have guys benefit from it financially. To have that excitement going into that next year, get derailed by injuries, still manage to win the in-season tournament and get to the playoffs, I thank God every day."

"Again, I'm completely grateful. I wish that franchise nothing but the best. I'm not mean or angry or bitter about anything. Some people have certain opinions and those are opinions, but if you really look at the facts, there's not much for me personally I have to say. So, that's it."

The Lakers managed to defeat the Bucks in Thursday's preseason game, earning a 107-102 win over Milwaukee. Thanks in large part to a fourth-quarter comeback from the Lakers, the Bucks lost their second straight preseason game.

The Bucks and Lakers will face off twice during the 2024-25 NBA regular season, playing two games in March on March 13 and March 18.

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