Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has offered insights into the team’s recent acquisition, Christian Wood, highlighting his belief in the player’s potential and the valuable contribution he can make to the Purple and Gold.
Wood, a 27-year-old center, and Ham established a strong rapport during the offseason through constant communication, leveraging their prior association with the Bucks.
Ham described Wood as a “wonderful kid” who has often been misunderstood in the past. The Lakers’ coach emphasized his commitment to providing a stable and supportive environment for Wood’s growth and development within the team.
“He’s a wonderful kid,” Ham said. “I think he’s a kid that’s been kind of misunderstood. And he understands that I’m going to be consistent. I try to pride myself on being a consistent human being every day and I think just that stability for myself, my coaching staff, everyone in the building, Rob is going to help him.”
The journey of Wood in the NBA has been marked by resilience and determination, including his time in the G League, where he honed his skills and solidified his position as an NBA player.
Now, as he embarks on a new chapter with the Lakers, Wood is determined to prove that his impressive statistics and impact on the game can translate into winning at the highest level.
“He knows this is the three-step process, like he saw how he grinded through the G League and all that and worked his ass off to establish himself as a formal NBA player, as an NBA player that once he got his opportunity, became a formidable NBA player,” Ham continued.
“Now that last piece is he’ll tell you he’s never been to the playoffs. He and I talked and said ‘Now it’s time for you to show that your stats that you put up and your impact can impact winning and winning at the highest level.'”
