If there was ever a comment that points to an NBA coach going all-in with a big prediction, Lakers coach Darvin Ham just made it. During an appearance on Marc Stein and Chris Haynes's podcast #thisleague UNCUT, Ham spoke about Austin Reaves and dropped the hammer by putting his bold prediction for both the guard and his team “on record.”
The second-year coach began by talking about Reaves and his potential, stating Reaves will be an All-Star, via SBNation’s Harrison Faigen.
“I’m putting it on record right now, Austin Reaves will be an All-Star at some point soon,” he said. “I think what you saw with him being invited to be a part of the World Cup team is the first step in that direction. Everything you saw him do last year, the kid is a flat-out competitor, one of the greatest human beings you could ever be around, always fun, keeps things simple, but yet works at his craft. Is fearless in the biggest of moments. And my plan is to continue to feature him. He’s our starting two-guard, and I think there’s a lot more levels [he's] going to get to before it’s all said and done.”
Then, Ham dropped a next-level prediction for Reaves and—more specifically—his belief in the Lakers and himself.
“He’ll be an All-Star and a world champion, with me in the room with him,” Ham said.
Ham is a no-nonsense coach, and a person who isn’t interested in beating around the bush. The prediction of Reaves as a future All-Star is one thing, but he doesn’t pull punches while calling his shot on a Lakers title coming in the near future.
