"I want him to go back to being a pitbull on the defensive end!" - LA Lakers coach Darvin Ham on what he expects from 9x All-Star, says he wants him to go back to "guarding, guarding, and guarding"
Darvin Ham made his first appearance as the head coach of the LA Lakers in a press conference. He certainly has a great future envisioned with the Purple and Gold.
One of Ham's priorities with the Lakers is incorporating Russell Westbrook into the team. He spoke highly of the former MVP, saying he is one of the greatest ever to play the game. Going by his comments, it was clear that he has ideas to bring Russ back to his best.
Later, Darvin Ham also spoke to Malika Andrews on the NBA Today show about his plans for the LA Lakers. When asked what role he sees Russell Westbrook play for the team next season, he replied by saying:
"I want him to go back to being a pitbull on the defensive end and everything else is going to flow from there. We gonna implement some running habits that I think is gonna benefit him and different areas to attack from, but I want him to set a tone defensively for our team, just get back to guarding, guarding, guarding."
Russell Westbrook is one of the best guards in the game. However, his dismal 2021-22 season drew a lot of criticism from all directions.
With Darvin Ham coming in, Westbrook's role in the team is bound to be altered. Ham was optimistic about getting the best out of the former MVP. However, only time will tell if this works.
“Don’t get it messed up. Russ is one of the best players out league has ever seen.”
New Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has high praise for Russell Westbrook during his introductory press conference. https://t.co/DCvKowxmus
Before becoming an assistant coach in the league, Darvin Ham was a recognised player in the league. He won a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, which is considered to be one of the best defensive units in NBA history. Ham will certainly be hoping to get all of that experience from the playing days on to the Lakers.
Russell Westbrook next season: https://t.co/2zZmlWvt4G
Last season, the team's defense was their major weakness. If Darvin Ham is able to work on that, the LA Lakers could prove to be a difficult team to beat next season.
Can Darvin Ham change the fortunes of the Lakers?
Darvin Ham was one of the most favored candidates for the LA Lakers job. Although he was up against the likes of Kenny Atkinson and Terry Stotts, his stature in the league helped him get the job.
Ham has previously been a part of the Lakers as an assistant coach. He worked with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard for two years before joining Mike Budenholzer's coaching team.
10 years later... Welcome back, Coach. twitter.com/Lakers/status/…
The duo went to the Atlanta Hawks and helped them reach the Eastern Conference finals. After a lot of hard work, they finally won their first championship with the Milwaukee Bucks last season. Ham was a pivotal part of their run and this certainly helped him get on the radar of a few teams for their head coaching job.
Having worked aside some great basketball players, Ham certainly has it in him to coach the LA Lakers. Having risen through the ranks, there is no doubt that Darvin Ham is mentally strong and could hold players accountable if he has to.
"This place will always be special to me. ... It's like a homecoming for me in all seriousness." Darvin Ham on returning to the #LakeShow. https://t.co/PT1RjHGPOy
The LA Lakers will be looking to return to the top of basketball next season. Ham's acquisition will certainly help them get there as it will bring in a fresh voice in the locker room.
There are a lot of questions about the Lakers roster. However, he has been a part of teams that didn't have much to offer. Coming from situations like this, Ham will certainly be ready to take up the challenge and lead the Lakers back to the top.