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Darvin Ham is one of the more polarizing coaches in the eyes of the NBA fans. A lot of that primarily has to do with his recent coaching stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, which came to an end during the 2024 offseason after his firing.
But while it was unfortunate event for Ham, he did find some redemption after helping the Bucks become the second NBA Cup champions. Here is a look at the 10 most overlooked accomplishments by Darvin Ham.
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1. Darvin Ham is a two-time NBA Cup Champion coach
During the first NBA Cup, previously known as the NBA In-Season Tournament, Ham led the Lakers to the championship. Ham became the first-ever head coach to win the tournament.
Fast-forward to the 2024-25 season, as part of the Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff, Ham once again wielded his magic. He helped the squad win the NBA Cup, this time as an assistant coach, as the Bucks dispatched the Oklahoma City Thunder, 97-81.
2. Darvin Ham is undefeated in NBA Cup games
Not only does Ham have a pair of NBA Cup championships to his name, but he also has an undefeated record at the tournament. The former Lakers head coach currently holds a 14-0 clean slate, as he has yet to lose a single game as a coach or assistant coach. The only other NBA figure to accomplish the feat is Taurean Prince, who's the only player to replicate the same record.
3. Darvin Ham has 99-86 overall record with the Lakers
Although a lot of Lakers fans wanted Ham out before his firing, the former NBA Slam Dunk Contest participant actually coached the Lakers to a winning record overall, accumulating 99 wins both in the regular season and in the playoffs, against 86 total losses.
In the regular season, with Ham at the helm, the Lakers actually registered a 90-74 record. On the other hand, the Purple and Gold went 9-12 in the postseason. While his postseason woes were probably what got Ham fired, he did lead the Lakers well enough in the regular season for winning records to go along with a pair of playoff appearances during his term.
4. Darvin Ham's 2023 Western Conference Finals appearance
Speaking of playoff appearances, during his first year as the Lakers head coach, not only did Ham lead the Lakers to an NBA Cup title, but he also coached them to a Western Conference Finals appearance. During the postseason, the Lakers took care of business against the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime, 108-102.
They went on to upset the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in six games before eliminating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers' Cinderella run ended with an unceremonious sweep at the hands of Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, who became eventual champions.
5. Darvin Ham's 2022-23 Lakers bounce back after All-Star break
Prior to the Lakers' Western Conference Finals appearance, no one can forget how the Purple and Gold turned it around after the All-Star break. After the trade deadline, which saw the Lakers finally let go of former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook, Ham coached the team to a solid 18-9 run to end the regular season.
It was an impressive feat after the Purple and Gold kicked off the 2022-23 season on a 2-10 start. Without their strong finish, the Lakers probably would have missed the postseason for the second-straight year.
6. Darvin Ham is 2-0 in NBA Play-In Tournament games
To this day, the Lakers have yet to lose a game in the NBA Play-In Tournament to clinch a spot in the playoffs. The streak was first started back in 2021, when the Lakers defended their title and were coached by Frank Vogel, as they escaped the Golden State Warriors.
After that, the Lakers picked up two more wins under Ham's leadership. They defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans, in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
7. Darvin Ham helps 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks
In the process of gaining some coaching experience, Ham was part of Mike Budenholzer's coaching staff for the Atlanta Hawks from 2013 to 2018. No one can forget how the Hawks pretty much caught the NBA off guard during the 2014-15 season. The team posted a solid 60-22 record for the best record in the East.
Furthermore, the team also paraded four players who emerged as All-Stars in the same year, including Kyle Korver, Al Horford, Paul Millsap, and Jeff Teague. Taking care of player development, Ham received a lot of the credit as an assistant coach for the Hawks' rise.
8. 2018-22 Milwaukee Bucks
After his remarkable stint with the Atlanta Hawks, Budenholzer pretty much asked Ham to move with him to Milwaukee when he took charge of the head-coaching reins. The partnership seemed to have worked once more, as Ham helped the Bucks clinch back-to-back top seeds in the Eastern Conference with Giannis Antetokounmpo claiming MVP honors.
As the icing on the cake, Ham was also part of the coaching staff that helped the Bucks win its first NBA championship in five decades in 2021.
9. Darvin Ham is two-time NBA champion
Speaking of NBA championships, Ham has two to his name. Aside from his ring with the Bucks as an assistant coach, the player turned head coach actually won his first as a player back in 2004. Ham was part of the Detroit Pistons squad that pulled the rug under a heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers team, beating them 4-1 in the NBA Finals.
Thanks to his championship experience both on the court and in the sidelines, it's easy to see why the Purple and Gold made him a top coaching candidate.
10. 10+ years of coaching experience
Ham actually has plenty of basketball experience under his belt. He played at least 12 years of professional basketball as a player before spending more than a decade on the sidelines. He has also served as an assistant coach for three different NBA teams.
But more importantly, Ham has won titles with every franchise he has served, including one NBA Cup title with the Lakers. As an assistant coach, he helped the Bucks secure an NBA Cup title and an NBA Championship.