Darvin Ham: Russell Westbrook will be a starter for Lakers and flourish in his new role

What are your thoughts on Russell Westbrook? Darvin Ham: Counted out prematurely. Counted out. Prematurely. I’ve had some great interactions with Russ, in person, over dinner, over the phone, over text messages. I love Russell Westbrook, man. Just his mentality, his approach. Just to see him, a guy of that magnitude and everything he’s done in the league to get hated on. But being me, I got a wholehearted plan, a clear plan on how I’m going to use him. I showed it to him, sat down, brought stuff up for him. I think he’s going to flourish. We ain’t going to try to curtail his energy. We’re just going to diversify it, redirect it.
Source: Marc J. Spears @ Andscape

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
“I got a wholehearted plan, a clear plan on how I’m going to use him. I showed it to him, sat down, brought stuff up for him. I think he’s going to flourish,” new #Lakers coach Darvin Ham on Russell Westbrook. Ham also answers whether Russ will start. bit.ly/3nInkUf #nba – 10:26 AM Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Darvin Ham is bringing his philosophy and a Saginaw toughness to the #Lakers. Former NBA player talks to @andscape about his long road to becoming a head coach, the challenge of coaching LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis, and more. bit.ly/3nInkUf #nba – 8:44 AM Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Thomas Bryant on playing for Darvin Ham: “Just having a floor spacer at the five that can really shoot the ball really well, and also just the talk and communication that I can bring on the defensive end. … I think it’s gonna be like two peas in a pod there, really.” – 5:25 PM Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Thomas Bryant notes that Darvin Ham has brought over a lot of what he did in Milwaukee to Los Angeles. – 4:56 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Among the points of emphasis from Darvin Ham to Troy Brown, Jr. was how fast they’re going to play this season, and the importance of getting up the court quickly after stops.
Brown added that one of his defensive skillsets is switching on to smaller guards and using his length. – 1:55 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Troy Brown Jr on Darvin Ham: “He’s excited and I love it!” – 1:51 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Early NBA Coach of the Year odds have been revealed for the upcoming season, with Lakers’ Darvin Ham being among the Top 15 candidates, via @betonline_ag pic.twitter.com/O45M6a8JSy – 12:28 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
I hesitate to draw any conclusions about the Lakers’ future plans, because the ten-game sample size is admittedly small, but as Wizards teammates, Thomas Bryant shot 85.7% from the field on passes from Russell Westbrook. AK #JustSayin 👀👀👀 – 1:02 AM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
My dream ending to the Lakers offseason:
1. Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris for Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, Wenyen Gabriel and whatever picks it takes.
2. Dennis Schroder with roster spot No. 14 to replace Nunn.
3. Kessler Edwards with roster spot No. 15 for another wing. – 12:53 AM Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
The Atlanta Hawks are hiring Mike Longabardi as an assistant coach — with Joe Prunty getting promoted to top assistant, sources tell ESPN. Longabardi — mostly recently with Sacramento — replaces Chris Jent, who accepted the No. 1 job on Darvin Ham’s new Lakers staff. – 4:13 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss posts cryptic tweet about Kobe Bryant as Kyrie Irving-Russell Westbrook rumors swirl
cbssports.com/nba/news/laker… – 12:25 PM

More on this storyline

You see Westbrook as a starter under you with the Lakers? Russell Westbrook: Yes, indeed. It’s just the way we’re going to play and the type of people that’s going to be out there on the floor, that’s the biggest thing. -via Andscape / July 7, 2022 Darvin Ham’s first NBA head coaching job includes the prestige and pleasure of coaching the 17-time champion Los Angeles Lakers, who are always dreaming of a title. The Lakers’ roster includes arguably the NBA’s greatest player ever in LeBron James, injury-riddled star Anthony Davis and struggling star Russell Westbrook. There are not a lot of first-year NBA head coaches who have dealt with this level of pressure. But considering the near-death situations, painful deaths of loved ones, and the long odds that Ham has overcome to win an NBA championship after going undrafted, he respectfully says the pressure of joining the Lakers does not scare him. -via Andscape / July 7, 2022 “It’s really not pressure,” Ham, 48, recently told Andscape. “I’ve been through so much s— in my life. When people say pressure, come on, fam. Pressure is like the boogeyman is only real in your mind. The boogeyman doesn’t exist to me. I’ve literally almost been killed before, bro. So, I understand what the challenge is. I don’t want to say expectations. It’s the order of things. I understand what the order of things are with this franchise, and I embrace it, accept it 1,000% because I’m built like that.” -via Andscape / July 7, 2022