While his and the Milwaukee Bucks‘ focus lies on this 2020-21 season, there’s no secret that Darvin Ham could be in line for a head coaching job within the near future.
The long-standing assistant under head coach Mike Budenholzer, Ham made the rounds during the coaching carousel that place over many various stops around the league over the offseason.
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According to recent comments made by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on the latest episode of his podcast, The Woj Pod, Ham left a lasting mark in the interview he had with multiple teams over the offseason preceding the 2020-21 campaign:
"“I think there’s a group of young and not so young black assistants who are going to be head coaches. I thought last year’s interview process, guys didn’t get jobs, but I think there are a few guys on the cusp.I would tell you Darvin Ham in Milwaukee, who made an incredible impressions with the Clippers and Indiana.”"
As Wojnarowski and his guest and colleague, ESPN’s Zach Lowe, discussed the many Black assistant coaches who could be in line for head coaching gigs, it should come as no surprise that Ham’s name was the first mentioned. That also applies to fellow Bucks assistant coach, Charles Lee, who Lowe namechecked as well.
Darvin Ham may not be long for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The fickle nature that are coaching hiring cycles are very tough to predict, even for someone who cut his teeth for as long as Ham has done. Ham discussed that very topic in his appearance on the ‘Truth + Basketball’ podcast hosted by his former coach, George Karl, after the Bucks’ run came to an end in the fall:
"“No one knows the timing, no one can pinpoint the time. Going into a situation where you have to present to teams how organized you are, your IQ and hopefully that matches up because a lot of times, the people who are hiring you have a different sense of how they want to play than you played and have success with…When you’re dealing with human beings, you’re going to be dealing with different ideologies and philosophies, so I try not to put too much weight on trying to predict how someone is going to perceive me. I’m just going to put my work in, unveil to them what has made me successful and the programs I have been a part of and allow them to make a choice. If they pursue me, great. If they don’t, hell, my landing spot is as good as any, if not the best, in terms of my consolation prize is going back to Milwaukee and then going to compete for another championship next year. Hell, I’ll take that any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”"
The success that Ham has enjoyed while rising up as Budenholzer’s lead assistant in both Atlanta and Milwaukee only further bolsters the case that he presents to teams that will inevitably look to address their coaching position next offseason.
While Ham waits on his chance to become an NBA head coach, he knows he and the rest of Budenholzer’s coaching staff have a job to do in trying to steward the Bucks to where they want to go this season. What the future holds for both he and Milwaukee after this season remains to be seen.