Claim: A photo was uploaded on social media after the Los Angeles Lakers’ undefeated start to the season that displayed a Purple and Gold ‘No Hands in Pockets’ sign pasted on a wall.
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Rumors claimed that the Lakers’ staffers pasted it as a joke, taking a direct shot at former head coach, Darvin Ham, who was widely trolled for his relaxed, nonchalant disposition (with his hands in his pocket) when the Lakers used to concede several field goals on the trot.
LOOK WHAT JJ AND THE LAKERS COACHING STAFF PUT UP IN THE LOCKER ROOM LMAOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/HCFu7oFzRP
— SMJ (@SixthManJake) October 27, 2024
The photo instantly went viral, amassing more than half a million views in less than 10 hours of being posted. Certain comments on the post also suggested that there are users who believe that this is a real sign put up in the Lakers’ locker room.
Verdict: All Claims are False. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of social media accounts that spread misinformation in the name of satire. These accounts dupe fans by impersonating other popular media outlets or beat reporters.
The user of this post – @SixthManJake – is neither of the two. It is merely a fan account with almost 18k followers, who is a huge fan of the LA side. However, the post is fake.
No verified source has reported on the incident, which would be very scandalous if it were true. Hence, the claims of this photo being in the team’s locker room are fabricated for satirical purposes, taking a nasty jab at Ham’s style of coaching.
The Lakers employed Ham as their head coach for two seasons – 2022-2023 & 2023-2024. During year one, the franchise witnessed success, making it to the Western Conference Finals. But the subsequent campaign was disastrous. LeBron James and co. had the eighth-best record in the conference and were eliminated by the Nuggets in the first round.
Throughout this season, naysayers took shots at Ham, blaming him for the subpar performances. They would mock the coach for not being communicative enough with the players, drawing set plays, or sticking to a consistent lineup. Fans’ frustrations led to Ham being trolled for his nonchalance while coaching.
Coaches in the league are often animated when their teams are not doing well. But Ham was rarely animated. Instead, he appeared to be the calmest individual in the arena, standing with his hands in his pockets most of the time.
Darvin Ham always got his hands in his pockets I swear (via @LADEig) pic.twitter.com/AWii9TKtCD
— Overtime (@overtime) January 12, 2024
The Lakers might not have thrived during his two-year stint. But openly mocking a former coach wouldn’t be professional behavior from the NBA’s most decorated franchise.
The Lakers are now enjoying success under the leadership of rookie coach JJ Redick. An impressive 3-0 record, defeating the Timberwolves, the Kings, and the Suns, has been the franchise’s best start to a season in the past 14 years.
Fortunately, Redick has not been caught with his hands in his pockets yet.
