Darvin Ham’s success as a basketball coach and former NBA player is rooted in the values instilled by his parents, Howard Ham and Wilmer Jones Ham McZee, whose support helped shape his career.
Darvin Ham is a former NBA player and current assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks.
He played for several NBA teams from 1996 to 2005, winning an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
After retiring as a player, Ham transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee Bucks.
As an assistant, he contributed to the Bucks’ 2021 NBA championship.
In 2022, Ham was appointed head coach of the Lakers and led them to win the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament title. However, he was dismissed in 2024 after two seasons with the team.
Darvin then returned to the Bucks as the lead assistant under Doc Rivers in 2024.
Darvin Ham’s Father Was an Air Force Veteran and GM Worker, While His Mother Served as Saginaw’s Mayor!
Born on July 23, 1973, in Saginaw, Michigan, Ham was raised in a blue-collar household where his parents significantly influenced his character and future.
Ham’s father, Howard Ham, was an Air Force veteran who worked on the General Motors assembly line.
Howard was passionate about ensuring his son’s academic success, even prioritizing it over his love for sports.
Even though Ham was interested in football, his father had him stop playing, telling him he couldn’t return to the field until his grades improved.
This key point changed Ham’s passion from football to basketball.
His father, Howard, also played a vital role in shaping Darvin’s future career choices. Although Darvin had initially planned to join the military, it was his father who encouraged him to pursue college instead.
Tragically, Howard passed away in a car accident in 1992 when Darvin was just 19.
Ham’s mother, Wilmer Jones Ham McZee, was an educator and an advocate for the importance of education.
A schoolteacher and adult educator, Wilmer later became the first Black female mayor of Saginaw, serving from 2001 to 2005.
Her leadership and dedication to her community influenced Ham’s outlook on life.
Wilmer also strongly supported his basketball career, often urging him to push through difficult times.
Throughout his life, Darvin Ham has attributed his success to his parent’s support and guidance.
His father’s work ethic and his mother’s determination to break barriers in politics and education shaped his path.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Darvin Ham married Deneitra Harris Ham, who also attended Texas Tech.
- His son, Darvin Ham Jr., played for Northwood University and served as an assistant coach there before joining the Cleveland Charge in the NBA G League as an assistant coach for the 2022-23 season.
- Ham is a devout Christian, attributing his success to his strong spiritual faith and belief in God and his son, Jesus Christ.
