Written by: Alex Torres
The Los Angeles Lakers have met with President Barack Obama for two years running as defending NBA champions, but the Lakers have their very own president in their starting five. Derek Fisher or also known as “El Presidente” by his Lakers teammates, has been the president of the National Basketball Players Association since 2006.
Most will remember Derek Fisher for his late game heroics like the 0.4 shot against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2004 Western Conference Semi-Finals, or more recently in Game 4 of the 2009 NBA Finals as he buried some threes to get the Lakers the victory, but what some might not know is that handles his job as President with the same demeanor and determination. As much as D-Fish has accomplished on the court, what is even more impressive is his off the court duties.
Juggling his job as the starting point guard of the Los Angeles Lakers, a husband and a father of four, and still being President of the NBPA can be a very daunting task, but he is the perfect man for the job. Just like he leads the Lakers on the court, he leads and represents every player that either wears or has worn a NBA uniform. With the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring in July, next season could begin with a lockout due to owners and players battling over the salary cap.
As the President of the NBPA he is on the forefront battling the owners for a new CBA that will be fair to the players, but that has proven to be a challenge. No one from the owners, players, and fans want to see a lockout starting next season, but if the owners and players do not come to an agreement then that will be inevitable.
Next: Using On-Court Savvy Off The Court
Just like he tries to decipher opposing defenses, Derek Fisher is trying to figure out how to avoid a lockout for next season. In doing so, he must balance being able to communicate with his fellow players and still remember that on select nights they are the opposition. As a Laker fan, can you imagine him having to communicate with the likes of Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce? As President of the NBPA he has to be able to listen and communicate regardless of whether or not they like each other on the court, but Fisher understands that and knows that while on the court they might be enemies, off the court they are allies.
The NBPA represents all players in the National Basketball Association, and provides many services such as helping with contracts, agents, retirement benefits, charity organizations, and filing grievances or appealing fines and suspensions. At the top of all this exists six vice-presidents, which include Lakers center Theo Ratliff, but there is only one president, only one man who is considered the liaison between the players and the NBPA, but more importantly the face of the NBPA who directly negotiates with the likes of David Stern and the rest of the NBA.
Fisher not only excels in his position but also recognizes that it is an honor and a privilege. His continued commitment to his team and the NBPA just come to show the he will be successful past his playing days with the Lakers. It is Fisher strong character that allows him to be successful off and on the court, and this is evident by his ability to be such a clutch performer and such a savvy businessman.
Next: Remembering It’s More Than A Game
As fanatics of the Lakers, or any other NBA team for that matter, we tend to forget that life exists beyond the hardwood. These players all are real people with families to provide for and take care of, but it is hard to imagine that when we are blinded with scores, standings, and statistics. This new collective bargaining agreement not only affects franchises but individual players as well. Not every player in the NBA has the luxury of max contracts and endorsements like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard.
Some of these NBA players are essentially waiting to see if they will have any type of income next season, either due to the lockout or the owner’s desire to lower the salary cap. This is where Derek Fisher is most crucial to all the players in the NBA, he has to stand strong and fight for his colleagues and try to deny the owners from trying to lower the cap.
Fisher has to be mentally ready to pursue a third straight championship, and still be able to balance his duties as President at a time where he is needed to reach an agreement on this new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Can anyone else handle the pressure better than D-Fish? Well, that is why he is better known by his teammates as “El Presidente”, whether time is expiring or a new CBA must be set, who else better to lead than Derek Fisher?