The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly found their next head coach.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers have hired Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham as the 28th coach in the franchise’s history.
Ham began his coaching career in the NBA with the Lakers as an assistant from 2011 to 2013.
Last week, Ham was included in a report naming the final candidates for the Lakers’ job. Also named were Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and former Portland Trailblazers head coach Terry Stotts.
Ham also interviewed for the Charlotte Hornets’ head-coaching vacancy, once reported as a “serious candidate.”
The 48-year-old played eight years in the NBA for the Denver Nuggets, Indian Pacers, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons. Ham was a part of the Pistons’ 2004 NBA Championship team, playing in 54 games.
An assistant coach in the NBA since 2011, Ham has coached with the Lakers, Hawks and Bucks.
Ham had been with the Bucks since 2018 and was a part of Mike Budenholzer’s staff when Milwaukee won the NBA championship in 2021.
Ham replaces former head coach Frank Vogel, who was fired in April after the Lakers finished outside the playoff hunt with a 33-49 record.
