It has been about two weeks since the Los Angeles Lakers fired Darvin Ham after he had been their head coach for two seasons. Fans seem to have already moved on after spending the better part of this season heavily criticizing him and practically begging for him to be fired.
Apparently, it wasn’t only fans who felt that way. According to multiple reports, Lakers players wanted him to be shown the door and reportedly even ignored him during huddles.
Starting guard Austin Reaves liked a post on Instagram that showed an image of Ham simply writing “contest without fouling” instead of drawing up a play on a clipboard. It seems like it may have been a gentle shot Reaves took at his old head coach (h/t The Cold Wire).
Austin Reaves liked this post on Instagram 😭 pic.twitter.com/waj8t5YixX
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) May 19, 2024
Instead of drawing up a play Darvin Ham wrote “contest without fouling” and wasted a whole timeout.
I just know this was the moment AD had enough of him 😂💀
— 🦉 Lakers Vino (@VinoUncorked) May 18, 2024
Perhaps the greatest act of coaching malpractice is losing one’s locker room. Now that Ham has been excised from the Lakers organization, the franchise needs someone who has not only the leadership skills but also the tactical skills to retain the respect of his players.