Milwaukee Bucks Rumors: Darvin Ham among finalists for Chicago Bulls job?
According to a report from The Athletic, Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham may be nearing as a finalist for the Chicago Bulls coaching vacancy.
Will Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham be the next in line to branch off of Mike Budenholzer’s coaching tree?
A recent report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania ($$) has not only continued to link Ham to the Bulls’ ongoing search to find their next head coach, but suggests he’s among the candidates that have made strong impressions throughout the interview process.
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Over the last many weeks and months, Ham has been a candidate among the many coaching vacancies around the league, whether it’s been the Bulls, the Indiana Pacers or the Philadelphia 76ers.
But it’s the Bulls’ job that Ham has repeatedly been linked to and now it’s reached the point where he has not only interviewed, but is looking like he’s among the final shortlist of names that are in position to succeed Jim Boylen in every sense of the word.
With a new front office in charge in Chicago between vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley, Ham’s developmental background is certainly a strong asset, given where the Bulls are in their rebuilding situation.
Whether it’s been a two-year stint as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers or joining Budenholzer in Atlanta and now Milwaukee, Ham’s work has clearly led to all of those teams enjoying plenty of success during his time on the bench in those respective cities.
Recently, NBC Sports Chicago scribe K.C. Johnson included this detail in his look at the reported candidates for the Bulls’ coaching job:
"“For what it’s worth, one longtime, respected head coach told NBC Sports Chicago that Ham would make “a home run hire.”"
But for all of the developmental work that he has done that has set a foundation for success, Ham’s command in the locker room has been plain to see in his return to Milwaukee, especially as a former player himself.
That may be best exemplified by the Bucks’ historic walkout ahead of what would have been Game 5 of their first round series with the Orlando Magic last month. Bucks wing Wesley Matthews shared to Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register how Ham struck a chord to all players in the Bucks’ locker room when sharing his own fears of police brutality:
"“Assistant coach Darvin Ham (a former Lakers assistant) spoke about his sons, in their 20s, that he feared might one day wind up on the wrong side of a police officer’s gun. Matthews, the team’s union rep, said “it just set everybody back a little bit into their chairs.”"
That is certainly a very specific example, but Ham being in tune with what all Bucks players were feeling in the aftermath of Jacob Blake’s shooting in Kenosha led to what was a defining moment in the Bucks’ run this season. And there’s no shortage of such instances that have helped develop such a vibrant culture in Milwaukee under Budenholzer, Ham and the rest of the staff.
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With the Bucks’ season now done and over with, Ham has more time to interview for other positions and vacancies around the league, even more than he has already. And whether it’s Chicago or elsewhere, it may ultimately lead to his departure if everything breaks right for his coaching career.