NBA 2022: Anthony Davis key to lakers success, says new head coach Darvin Ham

New head coach identified Anthony Davis as the key to NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers’ success.

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According to the new Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Darvin Ham, Anthony Davis’s consistency will play a massive role in deciding the fate of the Lakers’ franchise. Ham emphasized accountability in his press conference and said he hoped to get more effort out of Anthony Davis. Ham, who played an essential role in the development of Giannis Antetokounmpo as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, hopes to build the Lakers’ defence around Anthony Davis. Davis was at his absolute best for the Lakers in NBA 2019-20 when the big man finished second in DPOY voting and was an all-NBA team member in his first season as a Laker. Davis’s two-way play played a crucial role in winning the 2020 NBA Championship for the Lakers.

Talking about Davis in his first press conference, Darvin Ham said, “I think he’s the key. We’ve all seen what can happen when he’s healthy when playing at a high level and in a good rhythm. We saw it in the bubble. His skill set, size, versatility, defensive acumen, relentlessness, and ability to give multiple efforts defensively is key. It will be the foundation of the type of standard we set within a ‘Darvin Ham Era.’ It’s going to be built on that defence, and he will be the main piece, the centrepiece of it.”

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Talking about the Lakers’ “Big 3” of LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis, Ham said, “LeBron’s going to be great, LeBron’s going to be LeBron. Russ is going to be Russ. But, we need consistency out of Anthony Davis. We need him to be healthy, we need him to be in a good mental space, and we need him to be as consistent as possible. Back to playing that championship basketball. We’re going to do everything to support him, give him whatever he needs and keep him moving forward and getting stronger as the season gets longer.”