Darvin Ham
Encyclopedia
Darvin Ham is an American former professional basketball
player. He played eight seasons in the NBA
from 1996 to 2005 and later for the Philippine Basketball Association
and NBA Development League
until 2008.
After attending Saginaw High School
, Ham went to Texas Tech University
in 1993. While playing for Texas Tech, he gained national attention by shattering the backboard
on a slam dunk
during the 1996 NCAA Tournament
against UNC
. The dunk shifted momentum for the Red Raiders
, catapulting them to the second Sweet Sixteen
in school history. The dunk was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated
.
Ham won the NCAA slam dunk contest in 1996, following former college teammate Lance Hughes' win in 1995. In his 90 game college career, he averaged 8.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 turnovers in 22.9 minutes, on top of .597 FG and .498 FT shooting.
Ham was signed by the Denver Nuggets
as a free agent on 1 October 1996. He was then traded by to the Indiana Pacers for Jerome Allen on February 1997. Ham then signed as free agent with the Washington Wizards
(1997), Milwaukee Bucks
(1999), Atlanta Hawks
(2002) and Detroit Pistons
(2003). In his eight-season 417-game NBA career, he averaged 2.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 fouls in 12.4 minutes, on top of .598 FG and .494 FT shooting. Ham is estimated to have made $6.58 million in his NBA career.
Ham also competed in the 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest
, and was a member of the 2004 NBA champion
Detroit Pistons
. His powerful slams earned him the nickname "Dunkin Darvin" and "Ham Slamwich" from George Blaha
, the Pistons play-by-play announcer.
On January 17, 2006, Ham was enlisted by the Philippine Basketball Association
team Talk N' Text Phone Pals
as its import. He averaged 16 points in the 2006 PBA Fiesta Conference Playoffs
. However, the Pals eventually lost to Air21 Express
in the series, 2–3. Ham would go on to say that playing in the PBA was like “‘hooping in handcuffs’.
In 2006, Ham served as a studio analyst for Fox Sports Southwest
's coverage of the Dallas Mavericks
' playoff run. He then became a member of the Orlando Magic
summer league team in the Pepsi Pro Summer League from July 10–14, 2006. Ham later on appeared in the 2006 preseason with the New Jersey Nets
.
In 2007, Ham had a preseason stint with the Mavericks but was waived on October 24, 2007. He was then drafted third overall in the 2007 NBA D-League draft by the Albuquerque Thunderbirds
. On April 4, 2008, the Thunderbirds traded Ham to the Austin Toros
.
In October 2008, Ham was named an assistant coach for the Thunderbirds. He later served as their head coach. In October 2011, he became an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers
.
, serving from 2001 to 2005.
In 2002, Ham was cited in Milwaukee on suspicion of domestic violence-battery, a misdemeanor. He paid a $500 cash bail and was released immediately.
On 5 October 2008, Ham became a guest host on The NBA Breakdown. In the show he shared that Alonzo Mourning
was the center he dunked on the most during his playing days.
His son, Bridgeport High School basketball player Darvin Ham Jr., committed to Northwood University.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He played eight seasons in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
from 1996 to 2005 and later for the Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
and NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
until 2008.
Basketball career
Saginaw High School
Saginaw High School is located in Saginaw, Michigan, USA. The student enrollment is approximately 746 students....
, Ham went to Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
in 1993. While playing for Texas Tech, he gained national attention by shattering the backboard
Backboard shattering
A backboard shattering is an accident or stunt in basketball. It occurs when a player slam dunks the ball hard enough to break the fiberglass of the backboard. The stunt has caused games to be canceled or delayed, serious injuries to occur and expensive costs of clean up and replacement...
on a slam dunk
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
during the 1996 NCAA Tournament
1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1996, and ended with the championship game on April 1 at Continental Airlines Arena in...
against UNC
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
. The dunk shifted momentum for the Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball
The Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team represents Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition The team is currently coached by Billy Gillispie. Prior to Gillispie being named coach, the coach was Pat Knight who succeeded his father, Hall of Famer Bob...
, catapulting them to the second Sweet Sixteen
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in school history. The dunk was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
.
Ham won the NCAA slam dunk contest in 1996, following former college teammate Lance Hughes' win in 1995. In his 90 game college career, he averaged 8.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 turnovers in 22.9 minutes, on top of .597 FG and .498 FT shooting.
Ham was signed by the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
as a free agent on 1 October 1996. He was then traded by to the Indiana Pacers for Jerome Allen on February 1997. Ham then signed as free agent with the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
(1997), Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
(1999), Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
(2002) and Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
(2003). In his eight-season 417-game NBA career, he averaged 2.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 fouls in 12.4 minutes, on top of .598 FG and .494 FT shooting. Ham is estimated to have made $6.58 million in his NBA career.
Ham also competed in the 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest
Slam Dunk Contest
The Slam Dunk Contest is an annual National Basketball Association competition held during the NBA All-Star Weekend. The contest was inaugurated by the American Basketball Association at its All-Star Game in 1976 in Denver, the same year the slam dunk was legalized in the NCAA...
, and was a member of the 2004 NBA champion
2004 NBA Finals
The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003–04 National Basketball Association season. The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference; the Lakers held home court advantage...
Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. His powerful slams earned him the nickname "Dunkin Darvin" and "Ham Slamwich" from George Blaha
George Blaha
George Blaha has been the radio and television play-by-play voice of the Detroit Pistons since the 1976–77 NBA season...
, the Pistons play-by-play announcer.
On January 17, 2006, Ham was enlisted by the Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
team Talk N' Text Phone Pals
Talk N' Text Phone Pals
The Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters is a professional basketball team in Philippine Basketball Association.The team was first owned by Pepsi Philippines of Luis Francisco R. Lorenzo and was granted an expansion franchise prior to the 1990 PBA season...
as its import. He averaged 16 points in the 2006 PBA Fiesta Conference Playoffs
2005-06 PBA Fiesta Conference
-Second seed playoff:-Bracket:-Survivor playoffs:-Air21–San Miguel series:-Alaska–Sta. Lucia series:-Red Bull–Alaska series:-Talk 'N Text–Air21 series:-Purefoods–Air21 series:...
. However, the Pals eventually lost to Air21 Express
Air21 Express
The Barako Bull Energy is a Philippine Basketball Association team that began in 2002.Barako Bull is owned by Energy Food and Drinks Inc., a subsidiary of the Linaheim Corporate Services, owners of the defunct Laguna Lakers of the Metropolitan Basketball Association...
in the series, 2–3. Ham would go on to say that playing in the PBA was like “‘hooping in handcuffs’.
In 2006, Ham served as a studio analyst for Fox Sports Southwest
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
's coverage of the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
' playoff run. He then became a member of the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
summer league team in the Pepsi Pro Summer League from July 10–14, 2006. Ham later on appeared in the 2006 preseason with the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
In 2007, Ham had a preseason stint with the Mavericks but was waived on October 24, 2007. He was then drafted third overall in the 2007 NBA D-League draft by the Albuquerque Thunderbirds
Albuquerque Thunderbirds
The New Mexico Thunderbirds were a professional NBA Development League minor league basketball team which played from 2005-2011. Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Thunderbirds first played their home games at Tingley Coliseum as the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, then played at the Santa Ana Star...
. On April 4, 2008, the Thunderbirds traded Ham to the Austin Toros
Austin Toros
The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background...
.
In October 2008, Ham was named an assistant coach for the Thunderbirds. He later served as their head coach. In October 2011, he became an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
Personal
Ham is the son of Wilmer Jones-Ham, the first female mayor of SaginawSaginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
, serving from 2001 to 2005.
In 2002, Ham was cited in Milwaukee on suspicion of domestic violence-battery, a misdemeanor. He paid a $500 cash bail and was released immediately.
On 5 October 2008, Ham became a guest host on The NBA Breakdown. In the show he shared that Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
was the center he dunked on the most during his playing days.
His son, Bridgeport High School basketball player Darvin Ham Jr., committed to Northwood University.