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The Lakers introduced their newest head coach Darvin Ham in a press conference on Monday, and the 48-year-old wasted no time addressing how he views the team’s embattled point guard Russell Westbrook.
“Don’t get it messed up: Russ is one of the best players our league has ever seen,” Ham said about the former league MVP, per USA TODAY‘s Michael Scotto. “There’s still a ton left in that tank. I don’t know why people tend to try to write him off.”
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Ham’s remarks come after a comment by Rasheed Wallace—who reportedly has joined Ham’s staff as an assistant—from about a year ago resurfaced in which Wallace calls Westbrook (who was then playing with the Wizards) the best player in the NBA. Entering his second season with the Lakers, Westbrook appears to have the support of at least two key members of the coaching staff.
Ham said he has already been in conversation with Westbrook, with a key theme among their discussions being “sacrifice,” per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Westbrook was among those in attendance at Monday’s press conference.
Westbrook’s production and efficiency waned dramatically in his first year with the Lakers. In 78 games, he averaged 18.5 points per game—his lowest since the 2009–10 season—while posting a career-worst 15.0 PER. He’s due to make over $47 million for the 2022–23 season, should he exercise his player option, in what will be the final year of his contract.
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