LeBron James welcomes Darvin Ham to Lakers

LeBron James: So damn EXCITED!!!!!!!! Congrats and welcome Coach DHam!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 #LakeShow💜💛
Source: Twitter @KingJames

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
The Celtics have led for 96 seconds of the first three quarters.
82-75, Miami heading to the 4th.
10 years ago, LeBron James changed his legacy and NBA history in this game.
Tonight Jimmy Butler (30-9-7-3) is reprising the role. – 10:38 PM Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee
My first year covering the NBA, I connected with a journeyman glue guy who everybody in the Hawks locker room liked & respected. He’d break down plays for me. We’d debate hip hop & discuss world events. He knew his stuff. Twenty years later, Darvin Ham is head coach of the Lakers – 10:35 PM Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
Really liked the Darvin Ham hire by the Lakers. Wish I could make fun of it and I can’t. Hopefully they’ll give me stuff to make fun of next month. – 10:04 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Los Angeles reaches a deal with former #Bucks assistant Darvin Ham to be the #Lakers new head coach jsonline.com/story/sports/n… via ⁦@journalsentinel⁩ – 9:58 PM Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
I think Darvin Ham was the right choice for the Lakers. He has a commanding presence, superstar experience and he’s hungry to prove himself as a head cosch. LeBron won a title before with a first-year head coach in Ty Lue. – 9:54 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Jimmy Butler played 22:05 in that first half, halfway to 42 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals, 6 3s
LeBron James down 3-2 at Boston for Game 6 ECF 2012: 45 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 steals, 2 3s (44:49) – 9:54 PM Bill Oram @billoram
Initial reaction to the Lakers decision to hire Darvin Ham: theathletic.com/news/lakers-da… – 9:44 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
And this was against a stacked North Carolina squad team headlined by Vince Carter and former Laker Antawn Jamison (both in this gif) – Darvin Ham shattering the backboard in college: pic.twitter.com/xv6Byya309 – 9:44 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
This is my first memory of new Lakers head coach Darvin Ham… At the time (still is in my opinion), it was dope!! pic.twitter.com/z7LB8tNj20 – 9:39 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Congrats to the former @TexasTechMBB backboard breaker Darvin Ham as he takes over @NBAs most glamorous franchise. A really good guy who has waited a LONG time for his chance. – 9:21 PM StatMuse @statmuse
LeBron James now has played for 3 coaches that he played against:
— Ty Lue
— Luke Walton
— Darvin Ham pic.twitter.com/vFWYUrIwq0 – 9:21 PM Eric Pincus @EricPincus
I had Darvin Ham as the best fit of the three final Lakers candidates bleacherreport.com/articles/10036… – 9:19 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
ESPN story on the Los Angeles Lakers hiring Darvin Ham on a four-deal as the franchise’s new coach: es.pn/3PKqNP1 – 9:10 PM Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Lakers hire Bucks assistant Darvin Ham as coach latimes.com/sports/lakers/… – 9:00 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Darvin Ham is now the Lakers’ third-youngest player. – 8:59 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Lakers hiring Darvin Ham as coach nba.nbcsports.com/2022/05/27/rep… – 8:56 PM Matt Babcock @MattBabcock11
I first met Darvin Ham when he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1999. He is one of my favorite people that has come through the organization since my dad started working there. Darvin is a true competitor with grit but also a great guy. The Lakers made a great hire! #lakeshow pic.twitter.com/3Hw8k9WFYb – 8:53 PM Janis Carr @janiscarr
Raise your hand if you thought you would be raising a glass to Darvin Ham today? – 8:48 PM LeBron James @KingJames
So damn EXCITED!!!!!!!! Congrats and welcome Coach DHam!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 #LakeShow💜💛 – 8:45 PM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
LeBron James and Darvin Ham. pic.twitter.com/tpLfl5HX69 – 8:44 PM Arash Markazi @ArashMarkazi
Darvin Ham was the best candidate to be the head coach of the Lakers. He was a champion as a player, a champion as an assistant coach, had experience coaching the Lakers and has the respect of the players. He checked every box the team had. Great hire. – 8:43 PM Austin Kent @AustinKent
All Lakers fans need to know about Darvin Ham is that he competed in the 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest against Kobe Bryant. (As the replacement player for Allen Iverson) #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/5pAtPFsxn1 – 8:42 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
As discussed on @SpectrumSN & @TheHerd, Darvin Ham was the Lakers’ best choice as head coach. He earned respect during assistant coaching gigs w/ Lakers, Hawks & Bucks w/ NBA experience, holding players accountable & want to learn. – 8:38 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Darvin Ham about to show Anthony Davis all of those head-to-heads between him and Giannis… pic.twitter.com/MvBRrvDzml – 8:36 PM Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Darvin Ham is an excellent hire for the Lakers. Widely respected as an assistant, paid his dues. Has an Ime Udoka-like background (ex-player, longtime assistant). Could be a Udoka-level coach. – 8:35 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Happy for Darvin Ham, as so many will be. Smashing good news. pic.twitter.com/EM0iztmqFQ – 8:34 PM Bill Oram @billoram
Can confirm that the Lakers have hired Darvin Ham as the franchise’s next head coach. More to come @TheAthletic – 8:33 PM Beto Duran @DuranSports
New #Lakers coach Darvin Ham went from Otero JUCO (Colorado) > Texas Tech > NBA champion with Pistons.
Also Played in Granada 🇪🇸 and
Philippines 🇵🇭 – 8:32 PM Mark Montieth @MarkMontieth
Lakers coach Darvin Ham played 1 game for the @Indiana Pacers in April, ’97 after being acquired from Denver. Played 4 minutes, 54 seconds if you’re scoring at home. Best known at the time for having broken a backboard at Texas Tech. Rick Carlisle called his dunks “Ham Slamwiches.” pic.twitter.com/vdJLBLZjWb – 8:32 PM Dan Favale @danfavale
sixers fans seeing the lakers get darvin ham instead of doc rivers pic.twitter.com/ibbDXwcJqO – 8:30 PM Kane Pitman @KanePitman
Pumped for Darvin Ham. Finally gets his opportunity. – 8:26 PM Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Sources: The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring Bucks assistant Darvin Ham on a four-year contract. – 8:25 PM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
The Lakers have hired Darvin Ham as coach, sources tell ESPN. – 8:23 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 1996, the @Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan scored 45 points in a series-clinching win over the Magic in Game 4 of the ECF.
Jordan had 23 career 45-point games in the postseason, more than double that of the next-closest player in NBA history (LeBron James, 11). pic.twitter.com/ijk3UWU7iV – 1:31 PM Tom Haberstroh @tomhaberstroh
Stephen Curry is now a career 21-4 (.840) in playoff series. Better than MJ, LeBron, Kareem, Larry and Magic.
Stephen Curry is a career 89-39 (.695) in playoff games. Better than any MVP in NBA history (min. 50 games).
data via @Stathead pic.twitter.com/x3faOXb9KO – 10:09 AM Joe Vardon @joevardon
To reach a Finals, Erik Spoelstra said ‘ridiculously tough stuff’ and ‘breakthrough moments’ are required. The Heat franchise had that once, in Boston, in Game 6. In the exact same spot tonight, can their best player channel LeBron James from 2012? theathletic.com/3336039/2022/0… – 9:56 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Luka Doncic last night:
28 PTS
9 REB
6 AST
It’s the 10th time Doncic led the Mavericks (either outright or tied) in points, rebounds, and assists this postseason.
That breaks a tie with LeBron James (2013) for the most such games in a single postseason in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/qddeZ3o7WU – 9:31 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Stephen Curry in the 2022 WCF:
23.8 PPG
6.6 RPG
7.4 APG
Curry (34 years, 73 days) is the second-oldest player in NBA history to average at least 20 PPG, 5 RPG, and 5 APG in a conference finals, trailing only LeBron James (35 years, 271 days). pic.twitter.com/VFl3WYd18b – 9:21 AM Draymond Green @Money23Green
They don’t understand that he’s speaking of Lebron to show the magnitude that Steph should be mentioned. Not that he’s bigger or better than LeBron. It’s simply saying he’s one of the goats. They can only make one greater than the other. They don’t like them being GOATs! – 8:41 AM Jordan McRae @JordyMac52
If they did the eastern conference mvp when bron was making his run. He would have it every year lol – 8:30 AM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
LeBron makes surprise visit to his I Promise school on final day, reactions priceless nba.nbcsports.com/2022/05/27/leb… – 8:04 AM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
Warriors have won 18 straight playoff series against Western Conference teams, tied for longest streak in NBA history.
They haven’t lost a playoff series to a West team since 2014 to Clippers.
CP was on the Clippers.
LeBron was still on the Heat.
Joakim was 1st team All-NBA – 7:20 AM Carl Steward @stewardsfolly
Klay Thompson’s 8 three-pointers tonight gives him 431 career playoff treys, one behind LeBron James for second on the all-time list. Stephen Curry is No. 1 at 540. By this time next week, the Splash Brothers will likely be 1-2. Klay has always been more than just Game 6. – 12:47 AM Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
Lots of Stephen Curry top-10 chatter.
Which then begs the question… who gets bumped out?
MJ, LeBron, Kareem, Magic, Bird, Wilt, Russell, Duncan.
If Curry is top 10, that leaves one spot for:
Kobe, Shaq, Big O, Dr. J, Moses, Hakeem, Elgin, Durant.
Top 10 is a tough club! – 12:04 AM Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
Superstars w/ 6+ Finals appearances: Russell, Kareem, LeBron, Magic, West, Havlicek, Kobe, MJ, Shaq, Wilt, Cousy, Duncan, Elgin… Steph. – 11:38 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Players with multiple MVPs and 6+ Finals appearances in NBA history:
Bill Russell
Wilt Chamberlain
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Tim Duncan
LeBron James
And now, Steph Curry. pic.twitter.com/2CqTzLFv9C – 11:21 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Most PPG in elimination games:
35.0 — Luka Doncic
33.5 — LeBron James
31.3 — Michael Jordan
Shoutout to Luka. pic.twitter.com/22syS4bwqI – 11:20 PM Nick Wright @getnickwright
Luka, LeBron & Magic are the only three people in NBA history with the combination of skill, size, strength & vision to make *that* specific pass. That was remarkable. – 9:30 PM Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
I’ll be on @SpectrumSN at 7 pm PT with @geeter3 and @Mark Medina. We’re talking Lakers coaching candidates, Russell Westbrook’s future, the three biggest offseason questions and LeBron making All-NBA third team. pic.twitter.com/HJ7R0UI5EL – 9:29 PM

More on this storyline

One of Ham’s most important directives: finding a way to incorporate future Hall of Fame guard Russell Westbrook into the franchise’s framework with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It was a significant subject of every Lakers coaching interview in the process, sources said. -via ESPN / May 27, 2022 Marc J. Spears: With the hiring of Darvin Ham as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers via @Adrian Wojnarowski, half of the 30 head coaches in the NBA are now black. With Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra (Asian), 16 of the NBA head coaches are of color. The Charlotte Hornets still have an opening. -via Twitter @MarcJSpears / May 27, 2022 Adrian Wojnarowski: Ham made a strong impression on Lakers in several areas, including his championship pedigree, his commanding presence, history of coaching stars and toughness. Ham will start assembling a staff expected to include head coaching experience. -via Twitter @wojespn / May 27, 2022