The Los Angeles Lakers have a rich history with sixteen NBA Championships to their name, and along the way they have had more than their fair share of superstars. They have also been blessed with quality role players over the years, with Derek Fisher being one of the most beloved.
The 41-year-old finished his playing days at the end of the 2014-2014 NBA season and immediately took over as head coach of the New York Knicks, a job given to him by former Lakers coach and current Knicks President Phil Jackson. The Knicks struggled in his year and a half at the helm, and Fisher was fired back in February. Since then, Fisher has been occasionally popping up as an analyst on NBA TV, and according to a post to his Instagram account, has returned to training on the basketball court:
Of course, Fisher has always kept himself in fantastic shape, and there is no indication that the veteran is considering a return as a player, and his rights were recently renounced by the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, retiring from the NBA doesn’t necessarily mean that a player’s passion for the game goes away, and after spending 18 years in the league and the majority of his life playing basketball, it’s not surprising to see Fisher still out there working.
It’s not clear whether Fisher will continue as a TV analyst or if he will look to get back into coaching, but it’s apparent that he will remain connected to basketball. Regardless of where he winds up next, Fisher will always be fondly remembered by Lakers fans for his clutch shooting that helped bring five championships to Los Angeles.
