Derek Fisher facts for kids
Fisher with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014
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| Head coach | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 9, 1974 Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| High school | Parkview Arts and Science Magnet (Little Rock, Arkansas) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Little Rock (1992–1996) |
| NBA Draft | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Pro career | 1996–2014 |
| Coaching career | 2014–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1996–2004 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2004–2006 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2006–2007 | Utah Jazz |
| 2007–2012 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2012 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2012 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2013–2014 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| As coach: | |
| 2014–2016 | New York Knicks |
| 2019–2022 | Los Angeles Sparks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 10,713 (8.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,658 (2.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,804 (3.0 apg) |
Derek Lamar Fisher (born August 9, 1974) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 18 seasons. Most of his career was with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won five NBA championships. He also played for the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Dallas Mavericks.
Fisher played college basketball for the Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans. He was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 1996. The Lakers chose him as the 24th pick in the 1996 NBA draft. He spent his first eight seasons with the team. During this time, he won three championships in a row (2000–2002) with teammates Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. Their coach was Phil Jackson.
After the 2003–04 NBA season, Fisher joined the Golden State Warriors. He was later traded to the Utah Jazz. He helped the Jazz reach the Western Conference finals. In 2007, Fisher asked to leave his contract because of his daughter's health. He then rejoined the Lakers and won two more NBA titles with Bryant and Jackson.
In 2012, Fisher was traded to the Houston Rockets. He then joined the Oklahoma City Thunder and played in the 2012 NBA championship. After a short time with the Dallas Mavericks, Fisher rejoined the Thunder for another season. He played 81 games for them in 2013–14. The next season, Phil Jackson hired Fisher to coach the New York Knicks. Fisher was later a basketball analyst on TV. From 2019 to 2022, he was the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
When he retired as a player, Fisher held the record for most career playoff games played with 259. However, LeBron James passed this record in 2020. As of 2025, Fisher is still second in playoff games played.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Derek Lamar Fisher was born on August 9, 1974, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He went to Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock. There, he was a star in basketball.
Fisher then attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) for four years. He studied communications. He finished his college career as one of the best players in UALR history. He was second in points (1,393), assists (472), and steals (189). Fisher averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He led his team in assists and steals every year.
As a senior, Fisher was named the Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He averaged 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. In 2005, Fisher gave $700,000 to UALR. This money helped build a new gym, which was named after him.
Playing in the NBA
Starting with the Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2004)
The Los Angeles Lakers picked Fisher 24th in the 1996 NBA draft. He played his first eight seasons with them. The Lakers also traded for rookie Kobe Bryant in the same draft. Fisher and Bryant became good friends. Bryant later said Fisher was his favorite teammate.
Fisher played in 80 games during his first season. He averaged 3.9 points, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 rebounds. In the 1997–98 NBA season, Fisher started 36 games. He also started all 13 playoff games. The Lakers reached the Western Conference finals but lost to the Utah Jazz.
When Phil Jackson became the Lakers' coach in 1999–2000, Fisher worked hard to improve his shooting. The Lakers won the 2000 NBA championship, which was Fisher's first title.
Fisher missed many games in the 2000–01 season due to a foot injury. When he returned, he helped the Lakers' defense. He started the last 20 games of the season. The Lakers won their second straight title, beating the Philadelphia 76ers in the Finals. Fisher scored 18 points in Game 5, helping to win the championship.
In the 2001–02 season, Fisher continued to score well. He started all 19 playoff games. The Lakers won their third straight title, defeating the New Jersey Nets. By the 2002–03 season, Fisher was the Lakers' main point guard. He started all 82 games.
The "0.4" Shot
One of Fisher's most famous moments happened on May 13, 2004. It was Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs. The game was very close. With 0.4 seconds left, the Spurs scored, taking a 73–72 lead.
The Lakers called a timeout. When the game restarted, Gary Payton threw the ball to Fisher. Fisher caught the ball, turned, and shot it. The ball went in just as the buzzer sounded! Fisher quickly ran off the court, unsure if his shot counted. After reviewing the video, referees confirmed the shot was good. The Lakers won 74–73.
The Lakers then won Game 6 and beat the Spurs. They went on to win the Western Conference championship. However, they lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals.
Time with Other Teams (2004–2007)
On July 15, 2004, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors. He played two seasons with them. In the 2005–06 NBA season, Fisher averaged 13.3 points per game. This was his highest scoring average in a season.
On July 12, 2006, Fisher was traded to the Utah Jazz. He played in all 82 games of the 2006–07 season. He averaged 10.1 points and 3.3 assists.
Before the Western Conference semifinals in 2007, Fisher shared that one of his children was very ill. He needed to be with his family. His daughter, Tatum, was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer. She needed emergency surgery and treatment in New York.
Fisher flew back to Salt Lake City during Game 2 of the playoffs. He arrived at the arena, put on his uniform, and entered the game. He helped the Jazz win that game in overtime. The Jazz later defeated the Warriors. Fisher's dramatic return was nominated for "Best Moment" at the 2007 ESPY Awards. On July 2, 2007, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him from his contract. He wanted to move to a city with specialists who could help his daughter. The Jazz agreed.
Back with the Lakers (2007–2012)
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On July 19, 2007, Fisher rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers. He signed a three-year contract. He became the Lakers' starting point guard again. In the 2007–08 NBA season, he shot 40% from three-point range. The Lakers reached the 2008 NBA Finals but lost to the Boston Celtics.
In the 2009 NBA playoffs, Fisher helped the Lakers win Game 4 of the 2009 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic. He made a three-pointer that sent the game into overtime. He then made another key three-pointer in overtime. These shots helped the Lakers win their 15th NBA title. This was Fisher's fourth championship.
On September 8, 2009, Fisher released a book called Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball. In February 2010, he made his 1,000th three-pointer. He also played his 1,000th career game.
In Game 3 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Fisher scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. This helped the Lakers win. In Game 7, Fisher hit a crucial three-pointer to tie the game. The Lakers defeated the Celtics and Fisher won his fifth NBA championship.
After his fifth championship, Fisher signed a new three-year deal to stay with the Lakers.
Later Playing Career (2012–2014)
On March 15, 2012, Fisher was traded to the Houston Rockets. Four days later, he left the Rockets after agreeing to end his contract. He then signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the rest of the 2011–12 season. The Thunder reached the 2012 NBA Finals, which was Fisher's eighth time in the Finals. They lost to the Miami Heat.
On November 29, 2012, Fisher signed with the Dallas Mavericks. He played nine games before injuring his knee. He asked to be released from his contract to be with his family.
On February 25, 2013, Fisher rejoined the Oklahoma City Thunder for the rest of the 2012–13 season. He re-signed with them for the 2013–14 season. He played in 81 regular-season games and 19 playoff games. The Thunder reached the Western Conference finals but lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
Coaching Career
New York Knicks (2014–2016)
On June 10, 2014, the New York Knicks hired Fisher as their head coach. He signed a five-year deal. His relationship with Phil Jackson, who was then the Knicks' president, was a big reason for his decision. Fisher planned for the Knicks to use the "triangle offense," which he learned from Jackson with the Lakers.
Fisher's first game as coach was on October 29, 2014. The Knicks lost to the Chicago Bulls. The next day, he won his first game as a coach against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks finished the season with a 17–65 record, which was the worst in the team's history.
Fisher was fired on February 8, 2016, after the Knicks' record fell to 23–31. He had a total record of 40 wins and 96 losses with the Knicks.
Los Angeles Sparks (2019–2022)
On December 5, 2018, Fisher became the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA. The team got its first win under Fisher on June 1, 2019. On September 4, Fisher earned his 20th win as a WNBA coach. The team finished his first season with a 22–12 record and made the WNBA playoffs.
The Sparks won their first playoff game against the Seattle Storm. However, they lost in the semifinals to the Connecticut Sun. In his second season, Fisher led the Sparks to a 15–7 record in a shorter WNBA season. They made the playoffs again but lost to the Connecticut Sun.
On December 22, 2020, the Sparks also made Fisher their general manager. On June 7, 2022, the Sparks and Fisher decided to part ways. He had a coaching record of 54 wins and 46 losses with the Sparks.
Crespi Carmelite High School (2023)
On August 7, 2023, Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California announced that Fisher would be their new head basketball coach.
Television Work
Fisher often appeared on TV broadcasts during his playing career. After retiring, he started working as a professional broadcaster in 2016. He was an analyst on TNT's Inside the NBA and NBA TV. He also joined Spectrum SportsNet as an in-studio analyst for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Player Strengths
Derek Fisher had a long and successful career in the NBA, especially with the Lakers. He was known for his leadership, toughness, and ability to perform well in important moments. He averaged 8.3 points per game during his career.
When he retired as a player in 2014, Fisher held the NBA record for most career playoff games played (259). He also had the most playoff games won (161). Both of these records were later broken by LeBron James in 2020. Fisher also held the record for most career playoff series won (40), which James surpassed in 2023.
Phil Jackson, his former coach, said that Fisher was "definitely the spokesman for [the Lakers] as far as leadership goes." Kobe Bryant called him his favorite teammate.
Personal Life
Fisher is the younger brother of former NBA player Duane Washington. Fisher is a Christian and has spoken about how his faith helps him. His nickname is D-Fish.
He has four children: twins Tatum and Drew, Marshall, and Chloe. His daughter Tatum was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer, which was a major reason for his decision to leave the Utah Jazz and return to the Lakers.
Fisher is currently the head basketball coach at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California.
In October 2015, Fisher became engaged to Gloria Govan in April 2018. They married on July 17, 2021.
See also
In Spanish: Derek Fisher para niños
