ESPN host Michael Wilbon has come to the defense of fired Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, accusing LeBron James of lacking accountability and failing to take responsibility for the team's shortcomings.
Darvin Ham's abrupt firing after just two seasons at the helm of the Los Angeles Lakers has sparked a chorus of speculation, with the finger of blame often pointing towards four-time NBA champion LeBron James. However, ESPN host Michael Wilbon has vehemently refuted such claims, asserting that it is LeBron himself who needs to shoulder more accountability as the team's leader.
In a passionate segment on the latest episode of "Pardon the Interruption," Wilbon expressed his outrage over the dismissal of Ham, whom he knows personally and regards highly as both a man and a coach. He pointed out Ham's success in leading a team that had missed the playoffs the previous year to the conference finals in his first season, earning praise from LeBron and Anthony Davis.
Wilbon questioned the sudden change of heart, suggesting that if LeBron truly aspires to be the greatest of all time, he must own up to his own shortcomings and refrain from unfairly blaming others. "If you're the GOAT, you do that. You don't blame this cryptically or backhandedly on Darvin Ham," Wilbon declared.
"I don't want to hear from anybody in a Laker uniform that the primary problem was Darvin Ham. Yes, LeBron and Anthony Davis were great in that series, but they weren't good enough against Denver, so take that on. GOAT carries responsibility."
Wilbon did acknowledge that LeBron has assumed some accountability, but he stressed that it has been far from sufficient. "There hasn't been nearly enough," he said. "If you're the GOAT, you take the blame and you say, 'This is on me.'"
The Lakers' disappointing season ended in a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, the same team that eliminated them in 2023. Despite earning the seventh seed with a 47-35 record, the Lakers were unable to overcome their inconsistencies and ultimately paid the price.
While the blame game rages on, Wilbon has made it clear that he believes LeBron James should use this as an opportunity for introspection and growth. "You can't be the GOAT if you don't take responsibility," he said. "And you can't keep blaming everybody else."
