REShow: Darvin Ham - Hour 2

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Now try it again. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Do you want to be in this marriage or not Rich? Absolutely.

The Rich Eisen Show. Asked by local reporters about his now deleted tweet about retirement, Robbie Anderson said he was just thinking out loud but it was nothing too serious. The question, do you want to be a panther?

Answer, I'm here right? Earlier on the show, pro football hall of famer Warren Sapp. Still to come. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham. Plus Bucks linebacker Lavonte David. And now it's Rich Eisen. Our number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Yes the US Open round number two, probably round number one going down today. It's game six tonight of the NBA Finals all going down in the beautiful Boston area. Brookline Mass for the United States Open.

TD Garden for the game six of the NBA Finals. Darvin Ham, the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers is going to join us here on this program. Chris Brockman and Jay Feli are in their spots. Mike Diltufo we're sending our best as he gets better. Good to see you over there TJ Jefferson.

Hey it's good to be seen. Darvin Ham's going to join us in about 20 minutes time. The head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, we have a crack research staff and what that is, the Rich Eisen Show crack research staff is all of us collectively googling.

Please. And so we believe Darvin Ham is the first head coach in the history of the NBA to have broken a backboard in competition. Shattered a backboard in competition. He did it with Texas Tech in the 1996 NCAA tournament against Carolina. It made the cover of that sack. It made the cover of Sports Illustrated. Right. Amazing. And I believe again there have been many other head coaches in the NBA who have played in the NBA or in college.

We don't believe but let's just say there has been another one. How about somebody who stopped their career in the middle and had to go play in Spain for you? How about that? He did that after being undrafted out of Texas Tech I might add. Just in case there has been somebody who had to go to Europe to continue their NBA career who went on to win by the way come back and win an NBA championship which he did with Detroit and Rashid Wallace who is reported to be one of his assistants on the Lakers staff.

How about this one though on top of it? Let's just say there has been an NBA head coach who has had to do that in their playing career. Go to Spain, come back, win a championship and I've already broken a backboard in competition. Shattered the glass of a backboard in competition in the NCAA tournament. Let's just say somebody has done all that.

We don't know who. How about Darvin Ham also took part in the slam dunk contest? The 1997 slam dunk contest won by rookie Kobe Bryant. Oh my gosh.

Do you know who also was in that slam dunk competition? I'm gonna look now. I'll look it, I got it up. Okay. Don't worry.

Alright. Bob Sura. Bobby Sura. Of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That's right. Chris Carr of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Chris Carr. And just when you think okay even though you already heard Kobe Bryant like this is back in the day before. He was rookie.

You know right. He also Michael Finley was in the slam dunk contest. This one jumped off the screen at me. Like jumped off them like get out of here. I want to make sure I was Bobby Sura.

No dude I wanted to make sure I was on the right page. Ray Allen. Really? I'm like wait a minute did I pull up the three-point sharing contest by accident? I do remember him like doing a rock the cradle. Darvin Ham was in that slam dunk competition.

Yeah Darvin Ham had hops. And now he's the one in whose faith and trust the Lakers place the end game of their LeBron James stay and relationship. And Anthony Davis not picking up a basketball since April 5th and Russell Westbrook needing to have his his image and game rehabilitated in time for the three of them to gel together in the remaining window or windows of LeBron James's career. Unbelievable story.

Wow. And you know the only cherry on top would have been if he was here in person and accepted our invitation to send our call screener Adam Chudwin in a car in full you know driving Miss Daisy gear including drivers gloves and hat in Jay Feli's Maserati just down the street. And just in case Darvin was concerned literally you make a left out of the facility and then another left one more left it's just like one you could kind of go around a very long block and then hang a right and you're in our studio's garage that's that's that's that's it that's where we are from the Lakers facility but he'll be on the phone very Los Angeles thing we're calling each other even though we're a two minute walk from maybe the lowest Los Angeles thing ever so he's joining us in about 10 minutes time. Hey everybody what's up with the Carolina Panthers quarterback situation you may ask why are you asking that well two reasons one Baker Mayfield is just itching he is itching I mean wherever he is right now he has got to be climbing the walls I wonder what he is just what he's doing is climbing the walls I'm sure he's doing something where he's having a good time he's she's got a great life you know seems to have a great relationship with his spouse wife love and intended love all of it incredibly talented a player with no idea what his future holds and it's got to drive him absolutely up a wall and I don't blame him if I felt if it's and it's not it just doesn't end it doesn't end keeps going and it gets worse because the guy who the Browns gave all the guaranteed money to has a soon 26 civil lawsuits and he can't Deshaun Watson give a straight answer to anything that should have a straight answer 66 different masseuses come on well I got to check with my lawyer about that that doesn't sound right what it doesn't sound right you're talking about that's just a scratching that surface 230 million guaranteed dollars given to that guy he's got to be climbing the walls one of the spots is Carolina would be apparently they're interested in him but but still they drafted that kid Matt Corral he's not ready that was the whole idea is that he won't be ready so he can sit there and mature and marinate and get better while somebody else plays quarterback and that person Sam Darnold I mean they they acquired him last year seen ghosts well he might if Baker Mayfield comes in that direction and so at minicamp today Matt Ruhle was asked about who is his quarterback roll tape I thought that Sam's gotten a lot better he's really really improving in the offense and if we play today Sam would be our quarterback at any position if we can make a significant improvement we absolutely should but we can also make a lot of improvements by our guys you know playing better this year than they have in the past and I like where he's headed well good news for Sam is he didn't say right now he's had a few he had a game today which is a different version of the dreaded right now right now he's our quarterback would have been a kiss right now well that is a kiss of death if we had a game today he's our quarterback not like yeah he's our quarterback we love Sam he could say and Sam's getting better oh my word that sounds like a wide open situation any position you can upgrade that absolutely is the case in the NFL every position that can be upgraded can totally be upgraded of course that's the way it all works in the NFL Chris yes I'm making you your Todd Bowles congratulations you've got a new job being the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers great gig do you think you need an upgrade at the quarterback position you know I'm looking to evaluate every position but I you know I think we're pretty set at the quarterback position TJ congratulations you are Mike McCarthy oh hey you're Mike McCarthy congratulations you're the head coach of your Dallas Cowboys coach McCarthy do you need an upgrade are you looking to upgrade your quarterback position I gotta be honest with you rich we're really happy with Dak and his progress and you watched all his snaps right yeah I think we're pretty set at the quarterback progress and uh you watched all his snaps watched all of his snaps watch all of his tape Jason Fowler hey you're the head coach of your Las Vegas Raiders do you need an upgraded Derek Carr you you're looking for an upgraded Derek Carr now with Davante Adams who's played college ball with him and they've been trying to play with each other for a very long time and they're finally teammates are you looking for an upgrade at your quarterback position no we're not we're very happy to get Derek and Davante back together and we're looking forward to the season thank you so much do you have a crystal ball I might as well go in this direction do you have a crystal ball I do not okay can we get one I think you get my point hey rich I'm gonna make you Robert Sala head coach of the New York all gas no breaks baby hey uh what do you think about your quarterback position do you want to upgrade there we love where by the way this is uh I'm going deep I'm doing my Robert Sala Barry White voice uh we love where Zach is headed we just think the world of him that's why we traded all the you know that's why we got uh all the uh other players around him and why we chose him where we chose him and after last year we see he's playing quicker he's getting more uh familiar with our system and uh all gas no breaks j-e-t-s jets jets jets is that Robert Sala or Phil Jackson I don't know I'm just trying to go deeper very very rare by the way very rare somebody can out deep me in a voice but Robert Sala really can my by the way Robert Sala best coach in the history of the NFL who can so do your outgoing voicemail message I think you get my point do you get my point are you picking up what I'm putting down yeah oh show I understand oh boy Baker Mayfield is just like I can upgrade let me upgrade please let me upgrade honestly Baker Mayfield speaking of upgrades sounds like somebody who sees a full ass plane and you're sitting in row 35b okay that's where you're at and you're like please upgrade I've got your please please give me that upgrade you should have settled that for you got in the plane and I appreciate coach being straight up honest if we have a game today at Sam Darnold whoa what's that mean we have a game today at Sam Darnold well did you hear Justin Phil's close Sam Darnold's your quarterback yeah yeah yeah for sure who else they're gonna play who else they're gonna start Brockman loves that who else are they gonna start in Carolina you know I mean I don't think Sam's that bad Sam Darnold I feel bad the first three games of last year was the most valuable player of the national footballing is remember that carolyn panthers with 3-0 they going to houston to run into 3-0 problem is is Christian McCaffrey had his annual soft tissue injury in that game tradition unlike any other unfortunately but hey he's supposed to be healthy coming back Robbie by the way how about that I don't mean to laugh your quarterback wide receiver combination okay not the best because DJ Moore is the best we had him in fantasy last year he is terrific he is a really good receiver in the NFL so let's just say Robbie Anderson and uh and Sam Darnold that was the connection for the Jets man that was a connection that beat the Cowboys that last time the Jets and the Cowboys played each other Sam Darnold after the Cowboys didn't kick the field goal they went for a fourth down deep in the Jets end didn't convert stuff Darnold to Robbie Anderson they had that sixth sense and last year all Jets friends were saying what are you getting rid of Sam for for this kid from BYU I've never heard from wife to card just for the next five years to see if he's of drinking age by the way I saw him drinking a beer last night at Yankee Stadium officially he is a drinking age oh he is so we're all wondering like what are we doing we don't have any the cupboards bad what are we doing here he's 22 so Robbie Anderson yesterday we went off the air talking about this saying you're not retired you're gonna be a Carolina panther huh and he's like I'm here am I aren't I very aggressive right aren't I mean I you know you want me to fog up a mirror for you that's one of their top receiving threats and the quarterback says the coach is the quarterback if there was a game today and we can upgrade that position all positions need upgrading all positions need upgrading Chris you're Andy Reid congratulations you want a cheeseburger I'm hungry you want a cheeseburger and you're gonna get all that you want and like it I can't wait all right Hawaiian shirt you're the anti-spalding you are Andy Reid all right hey Andy hey Rich um all positions need upgrades right you're looking for an upgrade position including the quarterback position right you know I think uh I think we're good with Patrick okay yeah I like him and scene let's take a break so we're on time for Darvin Ham the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers the backboard breaking yeah Spain playing NBA slam dunking competition head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers when we come back right here on the Rich Eisen show back here on the Rich Eisen show 8 4 4 2 0 4 rich number to dial honestly uh one of the most Los Angeles things that I've known since moving here in 20 years is when you have a phone conversation with somebody who is just a two-minute walk from your building so that makes this the most Los Angeles conversation I may have had in the history of this program uh because Jeannie Buss has been here right she has physically been here I don't remember the last time I had a phone call in that chair well well I mean I think this man's predecessor called him but he might have been in the bubble actually oh you might be right but joining us from just down the block here in El Segundo California uh on the Rich Eisen show I'm assuming that's where he is uh on the Mercedes Benz vans phone line we are pleased to have the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers here on the program Darvin Ham how you doing coach I'm good Rich how you doing my man I'm doing great are you are you down the street right now are you in the Lakers facility right now yes I am okay I'll just maybe I'll just go to the window after this and wait just look for me look for me waving um congratulations on the gig congratulations on the gig uh we truly appreciate that you are welcome we believe uh our crack research staff which is all of us googling together we believe you might be the first head coach in the history of the NBA NBA to a shattered about boarding competition do you think you are Darvin that might be a fact right that most certainly might be a fact who did you dunk on against in against North Carolina on that time Darvin oh it was uh it was actually off an offensive rebound okay yeah we had it we had one of my old teammates Jason Sasser who actually was all-american that year and our leading scorer he was in the post and uh Vince Carter was guarding me and Antoine Jamison was guarding uh Jason Sasser he threw up uh Vince left to go double team he threw up a rush jump hook and there was nobody left to block me out so just a straight runway to the basket so you technically dunked on Vince Carter let's call it what it is you dunked on Vince right certain slickers in the background too what he saw was going on he didn't get knocked away a little bit I still laugh all of those guys still laugh about that to this day I bet did you like up what was it like on the court after you did that Darvin pandemonium I mean we were in Richmond Virginia so the Carolina fans were like we had a little small section of red Raider fans in their little uh red and black but the rest of the building was all uh light sea blue and it was uh it was that you just saw it and to see their reaction I mean the shock and the horror on their faces but also mesmerized at the same time but uh it was a beautiful moment do you still have that si cover is it in your office is it hanging in your office I have my man case I bet it is glass as well oh really you still have pieces of the glass that's what I was gonna ask yes indeed oh that's awesome that was gonna be my question did you keep that why what about the rim what yeah do you have the where's the rim do we know no I have no idea oh man wow probably still in the Richmond Coliseum basement somewhere send that to Vince greetings from El Segundo I think serves wicker still picking glass on his oh my gosh and and even if you there has been somebody else in the NBA head coaching community who's shattered a backboard um how about also being in a slam dunk competition won by rookie Kobe Bryant uh back in 97 what was that what was that memory like for you Darvin Ham it was beautiful man you know it was uh obviously I feel like I got screwed but you know that's neither here or there no no no hold on a second what do you mean what do you mean you got screwed by the by the I was the only I was the only guy in that contest that completed all three of his first dunks all all all all completed all all three of my first round dunks and um and and they were good dunks I mean you know I think the only problem was I probably went a little too fast between my first and second dunk um but even still I mean this the hitter here and see the crowd reactions to what I was doing out there in the inside with what it was known then as Gondarina um in Cleveland it was uh it was it was humbling and I was I just knew I was going to make it if I'd have made it past that they I'd have showed them some stuff that these kids are doing right now but you know long story short you know it was a great experience got you know we did a lot of press leading up to the actual event and getting to know Kobe the 17 year old 18 year old Kobe it was uh it was it was a treat and and you can see like back then you know that the NBA was like older older guys with families and had been in the league hell my rookie year up in Denver I played with Dale Ellis Ricky Pierce and those guys you had those type of guys still around in the league so to see this young brash kids stayed out of high school come through with all that swag man it was just I was excited for him man because I can only imagine what he would be feeling but you know he and I hit it off and it was just a fun fun weekend and uh he actually went away with the trophy and it's funny to fast forward several years later you know I my first assistant coaching job was with the Lakers so I got to coach him from 2011 got to compete against him in the dunk contest play against him throughout our years in the league and ultimately coach him from 2011 to 2013 and one of the first things I said to him as we walked in the gym around training camp time in 2011 man you know I said you need to admit that bro you know I won that contest I can only imagine what his answer was classic Kobe fast hit me with a great line he said uh yeah you probably did but we'll just keep the trophy at my house I love that because I'm assuming I'm assuming his famed mamba competitive spirit was already on display that day back at the dunk contest right people people tend to forget he had 30 in that little uh the little rookie game and and it was you know I think they ended up giving Allen Iverson the MVP for that in in 97 but Kobe had 30 that game so he could have probably walked in with two trophies that night I bet and then a couple years later he's at the all-star game in Madison Square Garden waving Carmelone off the block saying let me take it I mean unbelievable there's a new sheriff in town damn straight I'm dating myself now no look uh Darvin I I used to call your sports center highlights with Stuart Scott I mean yes indeed we're both dating ourselves Darvin absolutely no doubt about that I've got the new Lakers head coach Darvin Ham here on the Rich Eisen show so again you you've been in that building before as an assistant now you are are the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers with oh my gosh what a crossroads uh as well for you to find yourself with this franchise what do you just writ large consider your main job there first up for you well it's to get us back to defending um to get everybody back on the same page sharing the load and everything for me where I've been in the last nine years working on the coach but you know we've prided ourselves on defense you know offense is subjective I mean you're basically gonna play offense based on the type of weapons you have on that side of the ball but defense is something you can get right damn near every night and uh it's more objective uh so the biggest thing for us from transition defense to half court defense pick and roll defense to defend without filing and the finished defensive possessions with a defensive rebound whole team's the only one shot that's going to be a big chunk of the focus uh to get us back to defending because it's hard as hell when you're giving up bucket after bucket after bucket and then now offensively you have to come down to play against a set defense every time like you're just putting a lot of pressure on yourself and even still you know it's just the willingness to defend the appetite to defend and the consistency to defend I mean it's that's something we're going to be harping on throughout and so what was your first conversation with Lebron like and I'm assuming you've communicated this right absolutely I mean we we man we talked we laughed just his excitement through the phone I mean was was was mind-blowing man it was just it was all positive and you know we talked a few times and then he hit me with a text just to get some idea uh how you know what our program is going to look like what our system on both sides of the ball is going to look like and in proper form I hit him with all the defensive stuff and a long text first and hit him with all the offense after that and uh it's been great man he and I've been competing as recently as yesterday you know it's you know I've been constant communication same with Russ same with AD Russ and AD both I've gotten to have one-on-one dinners with uh since I've been here and all of that has been positive and again I talked to him about challenging defensively and try to do what I can to manage their minutes and manage their body so we can be stronger as the season gets longer and uh player health is at the top of another thing that's at the top of my priority list uh just just being able to have those guys and well conditioned uh being efficient with again how how we use them how we uh their usage rates and how we practice how we do shoot arounds um off days all of that so it's going to be it's a whole-hearted plan that that's been proven to be effective and that which involves everything being connected Darwin Ham Lakers head coach new head coach right here on the Rich Eisen show you mentioned Anthony Davis I'm sure you heard the conversation over the last 72 90 hours involving this stellar player um and champion from a couple of years ago uh him saying he has not picked up the basketball or had not since April 5th and that set off alarm bells with a lot of people as an indication as to maybe dedication or love for the game I wonder what your take on that situation is Darwin Ham well I feel the exact opposite being a guy that played eight years in the league and had deep playoff runs with teams there's that time at the end of the year um that that you have to uh take care of your body you know all the pounding the jumping the running especially when you dealt with an array of injuries like Anthony has you know it's you have to take time for your body focus on your body um and that's what he's doing you know I mean picking up a basketball uh that usually happens in the middle of the summer that you may do some spot shooting or whatever but you know you may do some spot shooting or whatever but as in terms of the pounding and the hard workouts and the grueling workouts on the court I mean that's usually pushed back toward the middle of the summer that's just a general NBA player's uh principle um just to get that time to get your body back feeling well to get your body stronger in different areas to strengthen your mobility your agility and uh the court will come later you have to have a functional body in order to be able to improve your game on the court so I think he has his priorities in order I don't put too much weight on you know that the firestorm went on with with that comment being made but I know he's in a good place mentally I know he's in a good place physically uh just saw him at dinner with him last night and it was a great great dinner almost lasted three hours just he and I and uh going over some stuff watching a little film having a great meal and he's in a great place and I'm totally comfortable with this process well and you had mentioned uh moments ago uh coach ham about player health being a crucial aspect of what your goal is to bring to the Lakers and I'm sure you've heard Barkley's referred to Anthony Davis's nickname is street clothes um how do you prevent that like what plan can you put into place to avert what has taken Anthony Davis and the Lakers in general the last couple of years well you know it's unfortunate that some people experience you know more of an injury bug than others but sometimes it's just something some things that are out of your control what we can't control is what he's doing now he's with a team of strength coaches and experts on on how the body should function and he's locking stuff with us here and our training staff with what we have going on actually one of those guys is working with him he's a part of our training staff so just again step by step um not being in a hurry maximizing each day but also being aware of what needs to be strengthened and what needs to be maintained and uh you know the naysayers gonna say what they have to say I have a ton of respect for Charles and uh what he's accomplished throughout his career but sometimes injuries are things that you can't you can't control and uh the best thing you can do is again you know prepare yourself take that time off in all season descripting yourself so you know you you can alleviate that problem there's a couple more uh things to bounce off you here Darvin Ham head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers on the Rich Eisen show um one of the other narratives about this team um involving Russell Westbrook is that last year it was proven despite the limited amount of time he LeBron and Anthony Davis were all healthy and playing together just not workable not workable and then to hear you come in um talking about defense first and that's the mentality and sacrifice uh the sense is certainly around this town good luck with that with with Russ so I'll give that to you and your reaction to that narrative about his um ability to win and work under the current construct of the roster of the Lakers with you Darvin Ham yeah well I think it's a great question first and foremost but at the end of the day you know he and I talked about this over the phone face to face when we had dinner as well um it's a lot like the sacrifice is not only from Russ but from AD from Bron from everybody all our young guys Stanley Johnson, Austin Reed, William Gabriel all these guys and whoever we should add to our roster as we go forward through the summer um the together we got to hang our hat on the defensive end and then it's going to be a simple but yet sophisticated plan to where they're going to know what they're supposed to do night in and night out and obviously you know you're going to have your adjustments you make team by team but Russ's energy his tenacity and you know his ability to attack the game with speed and force we're not asking them to change any of that we just want to redirect that energy into this new system and he's going to be able to like just I'm going to unleash him like he's going to have to make his mark on the defensive end we're going to get back to the fundamentals of things and just coming out with effort and he assured me and he set some goals for himself on that side of the ball that we're going to make sure it's carried out and then offensively just being able to move them around and have them attack from different areas not just speeding the ball up facing three defenders and transitioning trying to break through a wall of defense you know having them run off the ball with this you know improved running habits having a screener more and pick and roll rolling catching the ball in the half room being able to pick teams apart as a secondary passer and playmaker and he's also going to do what he does you know in transition we want him to get out and run and put pressure on the defense put pressure on the rim so it's I think it's a workable plan he's the first ballot hall of famer at the utmost respect for him and what he brings to the game and like again we're all going to sit down and make sure we're on the same page but the load will definitely be shared it's not going to be a situation when everything is falling all on his shoulders everybody's going to have to participate and I assume you know your from your years of playing expertise your head's on a swivel you got good peripheral vision do you see him out to your left when at your opening press conference when you were being asked about him and talking about him you know what I just I thought I actually found out I saw him before the press conference and I talked so I knew he was in the building somewhere but I didn't see you know any of his body language anything but I've known Russ for a long time and you know we have a great rapport and always been great even with me coaching on different teams and them playing for different teams uh he and I it's not you know hard for us to get along with you know I was a hard-nosed player that didn't take any crap and he's the same way right we we we hit it off instantly years ago but uh you know again he knows he knows the thing that he knows about me that he's come to learn quickly I'm a straight shooter like he's always going to know where he's staying and I'm not a silly guy that succumbs to out not outside noise and I'm not abrasive and stubborn where it only has to be my way of doing things like I have a plan and that plan will be shared with them and him specifically and it's not going to be about your way their way his way is going to be the best way of doing things and he and I talked but yeah it was great to have him in the building and uh have that support from him. Last one for you coach Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers here on the Rich Eisen show we mentioned things that you can control you can't control say Anthony Davis getting hurt you can you can modify things to try and avoid that so control issues are always uh what's been discussed here certainly in recent years about Los Angeles Lakers head coaches in this town um and is it true you have control over your staff that you get to choose who's on your staff and that's your choice Darvin Ham? Absolutely okay absolutely they you know they trust I've played for work with you've worked for some tremendous tremendous NBA coaches and uh you know I've been around the league since 96 and so it's 26 years now um I know some great basketball minds and so coming into this and having worked for a guy who's under pot for 20 years before he got his first shot being with him that guy being Mike Boonhoser being with him since his first day as a head coach until now um from Atlanta to Milwaukee and the sit back and watch how he constructed his his staff. Quentin Snyder is a great great friend of mine we talk very very often uh multiple times per month and to see how he put together his staff and Taylor Jenkins and so on and so forth all these guys that I'm close with within the business um it's there's no doubt that what what I laid out in the list of candidates to fill different slots on my slots on my staff uh that they were uh it made them more able to trust me in that decision-making process and you know we had some great coaches young coaches that uh we kept on board Phil Handy, Quentin Crawford and uh Jason Pesterick and our video coordinator Drew I mean we have some great young talent already in the fold you know it didn't work out for Frank but Frank I have the utmost respect to Frank Vogel he uh he did a great job in selecting some of these coaches that are still here with me today so yes short answer yes. Okay and what about uh the the reward has always been about too many chefs in the kitchen certainly in in meetings coaches meetings prior to games do you get to decide who from the front Lakers front office gets to be in those as well? I'm big on communication so yeah our coaches we're going to lock in my staff and I lock in and do what we need to do um but at the same time if anything these if there's any questions about what we're about to do or any questions about what we did in practice or shoot around what happened in a game my door is always open those situations I prefer to have one-on-one as opposed to having something be taken out of context by somebody just listening to a a brainstorming session with my staff so yeah you know I'm my door is always open our communication lines are very open here within the building. Is Rashid uh he's was rumored to be one of your uh assistants are you bringing in Rashid is he your your fellow champion from I can't confirm or deny that Rich. Okay okay I like it I like definitely he's definitely a candidate though I'll tell you that. Okay and do you speak to Larry Brown often your champion head coach? Yeah I talk to coach and I feel bad because I since all this happens been a total whirlwind I've had to change my damn phone number it's been crazy but uh you know I expected it but uh I got to catch up with coach I owe coach a phone call he's been a very instrumental figure in me and my thought process and being on this side of it being an 11 year NBA assistant coach and now head coach so I'm definitely going to tap into that resource him George, Carl, Bernie, bigger staff I've already talked to Bernie so I need Larry and George Carl's fault. I love it hey coach Ham I appreciate it you said you had dinner with Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook I assume there is a standing taco Tuesday invite for you um I'm assuming is that is that safe to assume that for you? Yeah we'll get to it at some point okay it's definitely safe to assume. Because I'll keep an eye peeled to at King James for a photograph of that with some red wine glass emojis I look forward to seeing all that then I'll know everything's cool in the neighborhood. Absolutely okay absolutely and then look for my call again I'm more than happy to send a car down the street for you next time if you want to come.

No I'll just walk man you just have somebody waiting for me at the store. Okay now that's the hard-nosed Darwin Ham I thought I knew. Thanks for the call coach really appreciate it. Thanks for having me. It's been too long that's Darwin Ham here the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers on the Rich Eisen Show that was a lot of fun.

That was great. Got a lot of information there huh? Let's hit a little bit let's uh let's let's marinate let's think about that we'll come back talk about that a little bit our number three Levante David uh TJ Jefferson uh as well when we come back here you've got your uh your top players in the history of all teams in the AFC East to hit on. Yes. Lamar Jackson spoke today about his contract. Yeah we've got all that to shoehorn in over the next hour and 20 minutes on the Rich Eisen Show. 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telling you perfect time for you go to check things out in time for Father's Day no other irons perform like the new Rogue ST Irons find your Rogue ST Irons at CallawayGolf.com go Rogue that's why I mentioned dads and granddads it's Father's Day obviously these are terrific for great weekend women as well uh Callaway Rogue Irons so everybody what'd you think of Darvin Ham right there I impressive I can see why he got the gig it's been a hot coaching name for a couple years now you could see why he's got the gig totally he's got the gig because he's got a plan and who better to who better to deal with whatever might need being dealt with on a goat like LeBron and a future hall of famer in Russell Westbrook at a crossroads of his career there's just no other way to put it a crossroads of his career and Anthony Davis as terrific as he is how do you make them all work together there's a plan anybody who sits here and I mean they could trade Westbrook if the the right deal comes along new league year begins at the end of this month I don't know what that right deal could possibly be but for the moment he's going out to dinner with these guys having a good time creating a rapport he's got a championship ring in his pocket he's a guy who had to go to Spain to continue his career he's coached Kobe he competed against Kobe he tried to take a slam dunk championship from Kobe that was a fun story you know I mean he's he's got he's got a lot going for him and very very good with the media which you have to be here in Los Angeles California I feel better about the Lakers after having spoken to him and then spoken to him beforehand I know that basketball's got to be played Christopher and I know tj you're a clipper fan you want to hate this man but yeah it's like I he says all the right things he makes you want to root for him but I gotta boo that man come I don't want to have to do it but I gotta do it I mean he it's a great plan for Russell Westbrook the plan the issue is when does when when rubber meets road plan hits hardwood what happens yeah he's 28 from three then what but clearly his relationship with Frank Vogel was fractured irreparably damaged and Ham comes in with a different approach got to see I mean I think the roster needs a little bit more construction and fine tuning and then we'll see what it looks like you know October but a championship this year that is a it's a long shot it's a good chat with him right there I really enjoyed chatting with him yeah and he brought up he brought up Gund Arena I haven't heard that in a long time and he had to he had to overcome not just the young Kobe Bryant the young brash Kobe Bryant in that slam dunk championship and Ray Allen trying to prove that he had as much hops as he did have shooting game but to try and beat Bobby Sura in that building with all the Cavs fans rooting for Bob Sura when he said Gund Arena I was like oh that's why Bob Sura was in the dunk contest I witnessed a few games at the Gund hometown arena within that arena with Ashton no not with Ashton this is pre-Ashton you drove from Altoona to Gund yeah what were you doing is that what you did yeah well Pittsburgh oh how long of a drive like not even two hours oh okay oh wow that's a long drive from the east coast all the way to Cleveland that's you exactly let me just explain to you this is now an open the open case has now been shut what is so funny about it has been shut you can't live on the east coast it's really driving two hours to Cleveland or nobody drives to Cleveland from the east coast one thing I can tell you having grown up on the east coast and by east coast I mean on an island surrounded by water including the body of water that is the Atlantic Ocean yeah as somebody who grew up there one thing I never heard from my buddies in Staten Island ever or Queens or Brooklyn or Manhattan they're the Bronx never heard hey who's driving to Cleveland you driving to Cleveland what are you guys doing this weekend who's driving driving to Cleveland there wasn't even in the realm of possibility of driving to Cleveland you act like that's across the country it's like a six-hour drive from and by the way growing up where I grew up I don't respond so I mean that's only like a six-hour drive so let's not make it seem like over this conversation is never the whole idea that you grew up on the east coast you grew up in the eastern time zone look I went to my doctor yesterday and we were talking I found out he was from Philadelphia and that's east coast and and then he says there's bridges that go over bodies of water that are somehow in some way connected to the Atlantic Ocean you're not going to make me change my mind on this that's a drive the Jersey Shore people in the Jersey Shore which is the east coast say let's drive to Philadelphia you know why because it's a half an hour because you like to chime in on this what let me ask you what's more true who drives to Cleveland is Pennsylvania east coast or is Staten Island New York which one do you think don't try and turn it don't try to turn it because that's always the thing him with you like him with me because he's a he he he's trying to troll on me there are five boroughs of New York City one of them is Staten Island every single Wikipedia to an actual encyclopedia will tell you that do not deflect do you know Chris growing up on anybody on the east coast anybody who's ever say hey let's drive to Cleveland see a basketball game what does that have to do with it it shows that you are an east coast your eastern time zone and this is amazing I mean it's amazing conversation would go in this direction it's fantastic it's an eight hour drive from Staten Island Cleveland we've never thought about it you know why because we're on the east coast and Cleveland is not never thought about driving the Staten Island it's in the eastern time zone you know shout out to the Wu-Tang great segment guys it was good until the end good job you know then you ruined it yeah it didn't ruin anything all right so here's here's um here's our um third plan a plan yes third hour first up is Levante David of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just love catching up with him what's going on what's going on how you doing has he talked to Tom what's going on with Tom how do you motherfucker do you have any of Tom's new underwear whoa did that did that did his tweet get forty thousand whatever he was looking for to uh because he was gonna recreate those does does Tom give new golf where does he give it out to his teammates I mean we'll take some well we're not his teammates not yet so um gotta ask Levante David about all of that Todd Bowles being the HC now there's lots to talk about Lamar Jackson has talked he's talked about his contract and his future with the Baltimore Ravens TJ Jefferson has a list of people who he believes is the greatest players in the history of the franchises um uh named on his list the AFC East is first up you're gonna get all 32 franchises in that's the plan I know I have a feeling I know I know who my bills would be my bill would be my dolphin my jet and um my pay the patriot is just we could just skip it I think the bills is the toughest one not at all decide not at all really not at all no I think that's a tough one not at all all right there's one all-time great by far by far and away at his position yeah Joe Ferguson okay thank you Mark Kelso Fred Jackson um nope none of them Cornelius Bennett Cornelius Bennett was a terrific football player who has a hall of fame candidacy that he could put on a piece of paper biscuit and submit good nickname um so that's coming up and then uh we get Brockman all ready maybe we should spend the last two minutes just meditating for tonight okay that's a good idea because I do have an idea that the Celtics should have done for the night okay you can get to that I like it I like all of these these are great best idea wins as Brian Cranston said on this program best idea wins best idea wins you know Brian Cranston also said something about you doing steroids too so well I was actually on a steroid that day because of just uh uh I forgot what I did something with that yeah I forgot what I was on or were you rehabbing like a hamstring something happened to me and I needed a steroid I forget yeah did we test for those here oh that's HR Chris you would we do not test for steroids HR I got harassed on Twitter by a member of the staff last night for the real story behind some of wrestling's biggest moments it's something to wrestle with Bruce Prichard and Conrad Thompson too all-time Hogan opponents Macho Man's got to be in the conversation where's Andre for you I've always said Andre was number one wow because even going back before you know Hulk Hogan was a babyface Hulk and Andre were able to go in and headline at the New Orleans Superdome at Shea Stadium in Japan wherever they went that was an attraction something to wrestle with Bruce Prichard listen 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