Former NBA champion Rasheed Wallace to join Lakers coaching staff
from Chelena Goldman, with YardBarker.com/www.yardbarker.com
Four-time NBA All-Star and former champion Rasheed Wallace has agreed to a deal to be part of the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Monday.
Wallace, 47, spent last year coaching at the University of Memphis with Penny Hardaway.
Sources: Four-time NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace has agreed on a deal to be an assistant coach for the Lakers under new head coach Darvin Ham. Both were teammates in Detroit and part of the 2004 title team. Memphis‘ Penny Hardaway hinted today Wallace may join Ham in LA.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 6, 2022
Hardaway hinted at Wallace’s departure from Memphis to The Commercial Appeal, saying the plan all along has been for Wallace to work with Darvin Ham. Ham was named the new Lakers head coach less than a week ago.
“That was the deal from the beginning,” Hardaway said. “If Darvin had gotten a job last year, Rasheed had already promised him that he was going to go with him. So, I’m thinking this year, with him getting the Lakers job, [Wallace] might still be going along with that process.”
Wallace and Ham were teammates on the Detroit Pistons for two seasons, winning a championship together — over the Lakers, no less — in 2004.
Wallace played 17 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 2010 following a one-year stint with the Boston Celtics. He returned in 2012 to play a single season with the New York Knicks before retiring for good in 2013 following foot surgery.