Derek Fisher
Encyclopedia
Derek Lamar Fisher is an American
professional basketball
point guard
for the Los Angeles Lakers
of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). His NBA career has spanned more than 14 years, during which he has won five NBA Championships. He currently serves as the president of the National Basketball Players Association
(NBPA).
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas
, Fisher started out his basketball career at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
. Selected with the twenty-fourth pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1996 NBA Draft
, Fisher spent his first eight seasons with the franchise. During that time, he played a role in the Lakers' "three-peat
", and was the third-leading scorer on the team behind Kobe Bryant
and Shaquille O'Neal
. After his success with Los Angeles, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors
, but was later traded to the Utah Jazz
, where he helped lead the team to the Western Conference Finals. Due to his daughter's health, he asked to be released from his contract and rejoined the Lakers in 2007. In 2010, he won his fifth NBA Championship with the Lakers. Only he and Kobe Bryant have played in all five of the Lakers' most recent championships.
As of 2011, Fisher had played in 209 career playoff games, the fourth highest total in NBA history. He ranks second all time in NBA Finals three-pointers made (43), behind former teammate Robert Horry
. He has the highest three-point field goal percentage in NBA Finals history (42.6%). The NBA listed his "0.4 Shot" as the 18th-greatest playoff moment of all time.
, Fisher attended the Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
in Little Rock, where he was a letterman in basketball.
He went on to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
for four years, with a major in communications. Fisher concluded his collegiate career at Arkansas-Little Rock second on the school’s all-time lists in points (1,393), assists (472) and steals (189). He averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists over 112 games and led the team in assists and steals every year. Fisher also set a school record for free throws made in a career (399) and ranked third among all-time UALR leaders in three-point field goals made (125). As a senior, he earned Sunbelt Conference Player of the Year honors after averaging 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.
In 2005, Fisher pledged $700,000 to UALR towards the construction of its Jack Stephens Center auxiliary gym, since named in his honor, and the establishment of the Fisher Fellows Life Skills program, a mentoring series for UALR student-athletes.
by the Los Angeles Lakers
, and spent his first eight seasons with them.
He made his NBA debut in an early season game against the Phoenix Suns
, tallying 12 points and five assists. Over the course of his rookie season, Fisher appeared in 80 games, averaging 3.9 points, 1.5 assists and 1.2 rebounds. He was selected to the Schick Rookie Game during the All-Star Weekend in Cleveland and had 16 points and six assists.
Due to a stress fracture in his right foot, Fisher missed 62 games out of the 2000–01 season. By the 2002–03 season, Fisher had firmly established himself as the Lakers' primary point guard, starting in all 82 games. But after the team was eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals by the eventual champion Spurs that spring
, followed by the signing of veteran point guard Gary Payton
in the summer, Fisher was demoted back to the bench for the 2003–04 season.
between the Lakers and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs
. The series was tied at 2, and Game 5 was a closely contested affair. With 11 seconds remaining, Kobe Bryant
hit a jump shot to put the Lakers up 72–71. Tim Duncan
then made a fadeaway 18-footer despite being double-teamed to give the Spurs a 73–72 lead with 0.4 seconds on the clock.
To devise strategies, three consecutive time-outs were called: the first by the Lakers, the second by San Antonio to set up the defense, and the last by the Lakers to re-set up the offense. When the game resumed, Gary Payton
inbounded the ball to Fisher, who managed to catch, turn, and shoot the game-winning basket all in 0.4 seconds. Fisher sprinted off the court, as he later admitted he was uncertain he beat the buzzer and wanted to exit before the play could be reviewed. The Spurs immediately filed a dispute regarding the shot and after reviewing video footage of the play, the referees concluded that the ball indeed left Fisher's hands before the clock expired. The "0.4" shot counted and the Lakers won the game 74–73.
The Lakers closed out the Spurs in Game 6. They proceeded to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves
to clinch the Western Conference championship, but were upset in the NBA Finals
by the Detroit Pistons
4 games to 1.
, Fisher became a free agent. Although he was popular, the Lakers viewed him as a role player, and with the additions of veterans Gary Payton
and Karl Malone
the previous summer, Fisher had been removed from the starting lineup and saw his playing time reduced to 18–20 minutes a game. In addition, the Lakers team that Fisher was familiar with had disintegrated after the 2003–04 season. Head coach Phil Jackson
retired and center Shaquille O'Neal
had been traded to the Miami Heat
, while Kobe Bryant
threatened to opt out of his contract and most of the remaining Lakers squad was traded away in the opening phases of a rebuilding effort. During contract negotiations, the Lakers offered Fisher $15 million over three years. In contrast, the Golden State Warriors
offered Fisher $37 million over six years and guaranteed him a role as the team's starting point guard.
On July 16, 2004, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent. Fisher's two-season term with Golden State proved to be somewhat of a disappointment. While he was a reliable spot-up shooter, Fisher saw limited openings without a star player such as Bryant or O'Neal to command a double-team. The team as a whole continued to struggle mightily and languished near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Fisher had stated that his primary reason for joining the Warriors was the chance to run his own team as its starting point guard. However, Speedy Claxton
started more games than he had in 2004–05 season
, and then newly-acquired star Baron Davis
soon replaced him in that capacity. Fisher came off the bench for the remainder of his time in Golden State. In the 2005–06 season
, he was productive in his back-up role, averaging 13.3 points a game, the highest season scoring average of his career.
on July 12, 2006 in a trade that sent Keith McLeod
, Andre Owens
, and Devin Brown
to the Golden State Warriors. He appeared in all 82 games of the 2006–07 season, averaging 10.1 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.01 steals while scoring in double figures 40 times.
In November 2006, Fisher was voted President of the National Basketball Players Association
, succeeding Antonio Davis
. Fisher had previously served as vice president. He has also been the color commentator for the Los Angeles Sparks
of the WNBA
since July 1, 2008.
began, Fisher stated that one of his four children was ill, avoiding going into further detail other than to say he needed to be with his family and his playing status was uncertain.
Fisher had asked head coach Jerry Sloan
to leave him on the active list for Game 2, but could not guarantee he would make it in time to play. But with permission from their doctors, he and his family flew from New York after his daughter's surgery and landed in Salt Lake City with the game in progress. When they landed, Fisher found out starting point guard Deron Williams
was in foul trouble and his backup Dee Brown
had been injured. The Jazz had been using Andrei Kirilenko
as a point guard and desperately needed Fisher. Given a police escort, Fisher arrived at the arena, suited up, and was given a standing ovation as he walked onto the floor. Not even given a chance to sit down, Fisher was put in the game in the middle of the third quarter. Late in the fourth, Fisher made a key defensive stop on Baron Davis
that helped send the game into overtime. In the closing minutes, the Jazz held a three-point lead when Deron Williams found an open Fisher for a three-pointer that sealed the victory. After the game, a tearful Fisher was interviewed, where he revealed the situation involving his then-11-month-old daughter, Tatum. She had been diagnosed with retinoblastoma
, a degenerative and rare form of eye cancer, which required an emergency three-hour surgery and chemotherapy at a New York hospital.
The Jazz eventually defeated the Warriors 4 games to 1, but fell to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs
in the Western Conference Finals in five games. Fisher's dramatic Game 2 entrance and performance against the Warriors was nominated for Best Moment in the 2007 ESPY Awards
.
On July 2, 2007, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him from his contract so he could relocate to a team and city that would have the "right combination" of specialists that could help fight his daughter's retinoblastoma. The Jazz honored his request.
noted that "[i]t did look funny" that Fisher signed with the Lakers, but he did not believe Fisher or Lakers owner Jerry Buss
would do anything underhanded. Jazz fans have taunted him, suspecting that he simply wanted to return to the Lakers.
When the 2007–08 season began, Fisher resumed his role as the Lakers' starting point guard. He contributed a solid season, shooting 40% from the three point range and 88% from the free throw line, the highest percentage of his career. He made a controversial defensive play in Game 4 of the Lakers-Spurs Western Conference Finals, when late in the game Fisher jumped into Brent Barry
's path without a foul called, causing Barry to miss a potential game winning shot. The Lakers eventually ousted the Spurs 4–1, but lost the NBA Finals
to Boston
.
Throughout the 2009 NBA Playoffs
, Fisher faced criticism about his age and lackluster defensive performances against younger, quicker opposing point guards. However, Fisher helped the Lakers win Game 4 over the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals
, hitting a three pointer over Jameer Nelson with 4.6 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime, and a tie-breaking three pointer with 31.3 seconds remaining in overtime to help send the Lakers to a 3–1 series lead and soon after, the franchise's 15th NBA title. Bill Plaschke
of the Los Angeles Times
described these shots by stating, "After his two jaw-flooring three-pointers led the Lakers to a 99–91 overtime victory against the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, you'll now officially be seeing him forever." Fisher's 11.0 points per game, 50% shooting average, and 44% three-point percentage over the course of the Finals were an improvement over his regular season numbers and a departure from his post-season struggles to that point. He had shot 23.5% from behind the three point line and 35.6% from the field in the three prior playoff series. This was Fisher's fourth NBA championship.
On September 8, 2009, Fisher released a book, Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball. He is credited as the author of the book with Gary Brozek contributing. On February 3, 2010, Fisher made the 1,000th 3-pointer of his career against the Charlotte Bobcats
. On February 10, 2010, Fisher played his 1,000th career game against his former team, the Utah Jazz
, beating Kobe Bryant to the milestone by one game. On February 23, 2010, Fisher made the 9,000th point of his NBA career against the Memphis Grizzlies
.
On June 8, 2010, in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Fisher played a pivotal role down the stretch to help the Lakers take a 2–1 series lead. In the 4th quarter, he scored 11 of his 16 points, including a 3-point-play lay-up that helped the Lakers wrap up a 91–84 road victory. In Game 7, the Lakers came all the way back from a 13-point 3rd-quarter deficit when Fisher hit a critical 3-pointer to tie the game with 6:11 remaining. The Lakers ultimately defeated the Celtics 83–79, and Fisher went on to win his fifth NBA championship.
After his fifth Championship win, Fisher became a free agent, fielding offers from several teams, including the Miami Heat
. On July 12, 2010, he agreed to a three-year, $10.5 million deal with a player option in the third year. Though their contract offer was not the most lucrative, Fisher considered it "the most valuable" option.
In a 2011 poll of NBA players by Sports Illustrated
, Fisher received the fourth most votes, six percent, for being the best flopper in the game. "Fish takes the contact. He does draw and sell offensive fouls," Jackson said. "We're happy he does what he does."
| style="text-align:left;"| 1996–97
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 80 || 3 || 11.5 || .397 || .301 || .658 || 1.2 || 1.5 || .5 || .1 || 3.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 36 || 21.5 || .434 || .383 || .757 || 2.4 || 4.1 || .9 || .1 || 5.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 50 || 21 || 22.6 || .376 || .392 || .759 || 1.8 || 3.9 || 1.2 || .0 || 5.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 78 || 22 || 23.1 || .346 || .313 || .724 || 1.8 || 2.8 || 1.0 || .0 || 6.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 20 || 20 || 35.5 || .412 || .397 || .806 || 3.0 || 4.4 || 2.0 || .1 || 11.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 70 || 35 || 28.2 || .411 || .413 || .847 || 2.1 || 2.6 || .9 || .1 || 11.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 34.5 || .437 || .401 || .800 || 2.9 || 3.6 || 1.1 || .2 || 10.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 3 || 21.6 || .352 || .291 || .797 || 1.9 || 2.3 || 1.3 || .1 || 7.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 74 || 32 || 30.0 || .393 || .371 || .862 || 2.9 || 4.1 || 1.0 || .1 || 11.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 82 || 36 || 31.6 || .410 || .397 || .833 || 2.6 || 4.3 || 1.5 || .1 || 13.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 82 || 61 || 27.9 || .382 || .308 || .853 || 1.8 || 3.3 || 1.0 || .1 || 10.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 27.4 || .436 || .406 || .883 || 2.1 || 2.9 || 1.0 || .0 || 11.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 29.8 || .424 || .397 || .846 || 2.3 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .1 || 9.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 27.2 || .380 || .348 || .856 || 2.1 || 2.5 || 1.1 || .1 || 7.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 28.0 || .389 || .396 || .806 || 1.9 || 2.7 || 1.2 || .1 || 6.8
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 1110 || 678 || 26.3 || .401 || .375 || .815 || 2.1 || 3.1 || 1.1 || .1 || 8.8
| style="text-align:left;"| 1997
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 6 || 0 || 5.7 || .273 || .000 || 0.667 || .5 || 1.0 || 0.2 || .0 || 1.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 13 || 13 || 21.4 || .397 || .300 || .621 || 1.9 || 3.8 || 1.3 || .0 || 6.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 8 || 8 || 29.8 || .418 || .345 || .800 || 3.6 || 4.9 || 1.0 || .0 || 9.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 21 || 0 || 15.3 || .430 || .414 || .760 || 1.0 || 2.0 || .5 || .0 || 4.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 16 || 16 || 36.0 || .484 || .515 || .765 || 3.8 || 3.0 || 1.3 || .1 || 13.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 19 || 19 || 34.2 || .357 || .358 || .786 || 3.3 || 2.7 || 1.0 || .0 || 10.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 12 || 12 || 35.3 || .520 || .617 || .818 || 3.0 || 1.8 || 1.5 || .1 || 12.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 22 || 0 || 23.0 || .405 || .418 || .657 || 2.5 || 2.2 || .8 || .0 || 7.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
| 16 || 14 || 27.8 || .405 || .375 || .933 || 1.6 || 2.6 || 1.0 || .1 || 9.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 21 || 21 || 31.6 || .452 || .440 || .836 || 2.2 || 2.5 || 2.0 || .1 || 10.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 22 || 22 || 28.9 || .394 || .284 || .861 || 2.0 || 2.2 || .9 || .0 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 23 || 23 || 32.8 || .448 || .360 || .821 || 2.5 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .0 || 10.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 10 || 10 || 32.5 || .433 || .412 || .810 || 2.7 || 2.6 || 1.4 || .2 || 8.2
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 209 || 158 || 28.0 || .427 || .402 || .798 || 2.4 || 2.6 || 1.1 || .1 || 8.9
during their lockout
in 2009. During the 2011 NBA lockout
, Fisher took a more active role than his predecessors, and he shared the lead with Billy Hunter, the union's full-time executive director. Jason Whitlock
of Foxsports.com
wrote that Fisher was privately working with Stern on a deal to accept a lower percentage of revenues for the players and that Hunter confronted Fisher about the issue. In a letter to the players, Fisher called the reports questioning his loyalty "absurd" and demanded "a retraction for the libelous and defamatory stories" through his attorneys. Hunter said his "relationship with Derek is very good. There was no confrontation."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). His NBA career has spanned more than 14 years, during which he has won five NBA Championships. He currently serves as the president of the National Basketball Players Association
National Basketball Players Association
The National Basketball Players Association is a trade association that represents basketball players in the National Basketball Association . It was previously a labor union before dissolving during the 2011 NBA lockout. It was founded in 1954, making it the oldest trade union of the four major...
(NBPA).
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, Fisher started out his basketball career at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Arkansas at Little Rock , is a public research university located in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, and the second largest university by enrollment in the state of Arkansas....
. Selected with the twenty-fourth pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1996 NBA Draft
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
, Fisher spent his first eight seasons with the franchise. During that time, he played a role in the Lakers' "three-peat
Three-peat
Three-peat is a contraction of the words three and repeat, which has been trademarked for commercial use by retired basketball coach Pat Riley; the active trademarks in force are registered under numbers 1552980, 1878690, and 1886018...
", and was the third-leading scorer on the team behind Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
and Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
. After his success with Los Angeles, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, but was later traded to the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, where he helped lead the team to the Western Conference Finals. Due to his daughter's health, he asked to be released from his contract and rejoined the Lakers in 2007. In 2010, he won his fifth NBA Championship with the Lakers. Only he and Kobe Bryant have played in all five of the Lakers' most recent championships.
As of 2011, Fisher had played in 209 career playoff games, the fourth highest total in NBA history. He ranks second all time in NBA Finals three-pointers made (43), behind former teammate Robert Horry
Robert Horry
Robert Keith Horry Jr. is a retired American basketball player and current sports commentator. He played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association , winning seven championships, the most of any player not to have played on the 1960s Boston Celtics...
. He has the highest three-point field goal percentage in NBA Finals history (42.6%). The NBA listed his "0.4 Shot" as the 18th-greatest playoff moment of all time.
Early life
The younger brother of former NBA player Duane WashingtonDuane Washington
Duane E. Washington is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He is the older brother of current Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher....
, Fisher attended the Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School is a magnet school in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States that concentrates heavily on science and the arts. It is Arkansas' first and only interdistrict high school...
in Little Rock, where he was a letterman in basketball.
He went on to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
University of Arkansas at Little Rock , is a public research university located in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, and the second largest university by enrollment in the state of Arkansas....
for four years, with a major in communications. Fisher concluded his collegiate career at Arkansas-Little Rock second on the school’s all-time lists in points (1,393), assists (472) and steals (189). He averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists over 112 games and led the team in assists and steals every year. Fisher also set a school record for free throws made in a career (399) and ranked third among all-time UALR leaders in three-point field goals made (125). As a senior, he earned Sunbelt Conference Player of the Year honors after averaging 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.
In 2005, Fisher pledged $700,000 to UALR towards the construction of its Jack Stephens Center auxiliary gym, since named in his honor, and the establishment of the Fisher Fellows Life Skills program, a mentoring series for UALR student-athletes.
Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2004)
Fisher was selected 24th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
by the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and spent his first eight seasons with them.
He made his NBA debut in an early season game against the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, tallying 12 points and five assists. Over the course of his rookie season, Fisher appeared in 80 games, averaging 3.9 points, 1.5 assists and 1.2 rebounds. He was selected to the Schick Rookie Game during the All-Star Weekend in Cleveland and had 16 points and six assists.
Due to a stress fracture in his right foot, Fisher missed 62 games out of the 2000–01 season. By the 2002–03 season, Fisher had firmly established himself as the Lakers' primary point guard, starting in all 82 games. But after the team was eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals by the eventual champion Spurs that spring
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
, followed by the signing of veteran point guard Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
in the summer, Fisher was demoted back to the bench for the 2003–04 season.
The 0.4 shot
One of Fisher's finest playoff moments came in Game 5 (May 13, 2004) of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
between the Lakers and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. The series was tied at 2, and Game 5 was a closely contested affair. With 11 seconds remaining, Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
hit a jump shot to put the Lakers up 72–71. Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
then made a fadeaway 18-footer despite being double-teamed to give the Spurs a 73–72 lead with 0.4 seconds on the clock.
To devise strategies, three consecutive time-outs were called: the first by the Lakers, the second by San Antonio to set up the defense, and the last by the Lakers to re-set up the offense. When the game resumed, Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
inbounded the ball to Fisher, who managed to catch, turn, and shoot the game-winning basket all in 0.4 seconds. Fisher sprinted off the court, as he later admitted he was uncertain he beat the buzzer and wanted to exit before the play could be reviewed. The Spurs immediately filed a dispute regarding the shot and after reviewing video footage of the play, the referees concluded that the ball indeed left Fisher's hands before the clock expired. The "0.4" shot counted and the Lakers won the game 74–73.
The Lakers closed out the Spurs in Game 6. They proceeded to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
to clinch the Western Conference championship, but were upset in the NBA Finals
2004 NBA Finals
The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003–04 National Basketball Association season. The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference; the Lakers held home court advantage...
by the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
4 games to 1.
Golden State Warriors (2004–2006)
After the 2003–04 season2003-04 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves*Rookie of the Year: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers*Defensive Player of the Year: Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers...
, Fisher became a free agent. Although he was popular, the Lakers viewed him as a role player, and with the additions of veterans Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
and Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
the previous summer, Fisher had been removed from the starting lineup and saw his playing time reduced to 18–20 minutes a game. In addition, the Lakers team that Fisher was familiar with had disintegrated after the 2003–04 season. Head coach Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
retired and center Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
had been traded to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, while Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
threatened to opt out of his contract and most of the remaining Lakers squad was traded away in the opening phases of a rebuilding effort. During contract negotiations, the Lakers offered Fisher $15 million over three years. In contrast, the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
offered Fisher $37 million over six years and guaranteed him a role as the team's starting point guard.
On July 16, 2004, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent. Fisher's two-season term with Golden State proved to be somewhat of a disappointment. While he was a reliable spot-up shooter, Fisher saw limited openings without a star player such as Bryant or O'Neal to command a double-team. The team as a whole continued to struggle mightily and languished near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Fisher had stated that his primary reason for joining the Warriors was the chance to run his own team as its starting point guard. However, Speedy Claxton
Speedy Claxton
Craig "Speedy" Claxton is an American former professional basketball player. He is now a college scout with the Golden State Warriors.-College:...
started more games than he had in 2004–05 season
2004-05 NBA season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association . It began on November 2, 2004 and ended June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating defending champion Detroit Pistons 4–3 in the NBA Finals....
, and then newly-acquired star Baron Davis
Baron Davis
Baron Walter Louis Davis is an American professional basketball player with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. Drafted as the third pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, Davis was a star at Crossroads School and UCLA....
soon replaced him in that capacity. Fisher came off the bench for the remainder of his time in Golden State. In the 2005–06 season
2005-06 NBA season
The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. It began on November 1, 2005 and ran through April 19, 2006...
, he was productive in his back-up role, averaging 13.3 points a game, the highest season scoring average of his career.
Utah Jazz (2006–2007)
Fisher was acquired by the Utah JazzUtah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on July 12, 2006 in a trade that sent Keith McLeod
Keith McLeod
Keith McLeod is an American professional basketball player, who plays point guard for the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League. He is 6' 2" tall...
, Andre Owens
Andre Owens
Andre Owens is an American professional basketball player.A 6'4" guard, he played competitively at Perry Meridian High School where he was an Indiana All-Star in his senior season. Owens attended Indiana University and then transferred to the University of Houston...
, and Devin Brown
Devin Brown
Devin Brown is an American professional basketball player.Brown was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and raised in San Antonio, Texas...
to the Golden State Warriors. He appeared in all 82 games of the 2006–07 season, averaging 10.1 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.01 steals while scoring in double figures 40 times.
In November 2006, Fisher was voted President of the National Basketball Players Association
National Basketball Players Association
The National Basketball Players Association is a trade association that represents basketball players in the National Basketball Association . It was previously a labor union before dissolving during the 2011 NBA lockout. It was founded in 1954, making it the oldest trade union of the four major...
, succeeding Antonio Davis
Antonio Davis
Antonio Lee Davis is a retired American National Basketball Association player. Davis is also the former president of the NBA Players Association .-College career:...
. Fisher had previously served as vice president. He has also been the color commentator for the Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
since July 1, 2008.
2007 Playoffs
Several days before the Western Conference Semifinals between the Jazz and the Golden State WarriorsGolden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
began, Fisher stated that one of his four children was ill, avoiding going into further detail other than to say he needed to be with his family and his playing status was uncertain.
Fisher had asked head coach Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
to leave him on the active list for Game 2, but could not guarantee he would make it in time to play. But with permission from their doctors, he and his family flew from New York after his daughter's surgery and landed in Salt Lake City with the game in progress. When they landed, Fisher found out starting point guard Deron Williams
Deron Williams
Deron Michael Williams , nicknamed D-Will, is an American basketball player currently with the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association . Williams has also played for the Utah Jazz of the NBA and Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League...
was in foul trouble and his backup Dee Brown
Dee Brown
Dee Brown may refer to:* Dee Brown , American professional football player* Dee Brown , American professional baseball player...
had been injured. The Jazz had been using Andrei Kirilenko
Andrei Kirilenko (basketball)
Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko is a Russian-American professional basketball player who plays at the small forward position for the CSKA Moscow in the Russian Professional Basketball League. He also plays for the Russia national basketball team...
as a point guard and desperately needed Fisher. Given a police escort, Fisher arrived at the arena, suited up, and was given a standing ovation as he walked onto the floor. Not even given a chance to sit down, Fisher was put in the game in the middle of the third quarter. Late in the fourth, Fisher made a key defensive stop on Baron Davis
Baron Davis
Baron Walter Louis Davis is an American professional basketball player with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. Drafted as the third pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, Davis was a star at Crossroads School and UCLA....
that helped send the game into overtime. In the closing minutes, the Jazz held a three-point lead when Deron Williams found an open Fisher for a three-pointer that sealed the victory. After the game, a tearful Fisher was interviewed, where he revealed the situation involving his then-11-month-old daughter, Tatum. She had been diagnosed with retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma is a rapidly developing cancer that develops in the cells of retina, the light-detecting tissue of the eye. In the developed world, Rb has one of the best cure rates of all childhood cancers , with more than nine out of every ten sufferers surviving into...
, a degenerative and rare form of eye cancer, which required an emergency three-hour surgery and chemotherapy at a New York hospital.
The Jazz eventually defeated the Warriors 4 games to 1, but fell to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the Western Conference Finals in five games. Fisher's dramatic Game 2 entrance and performance against the Warriors was nominated for Best Moment in the 2007 ESPY Awards
ESPY Awards
An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
.
On July 2, 2007, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him from his contract so he could relocate to a team and city that would have the "right combination" of specialists that could help fight his daughter's retinoblastoma. The Jazz honored his request.
Second run with Lakers (2007–present)
After much speculation, on July 19, 2007, Fisher officially rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers by signing a three-year contract worth roughly $14 million. He had given up roughly $8 million over three years, as he was due about $22 million over the next three years in his prior contract with the Jazz. Jazz owner Larry MillerLarry H. Miller
Lawrence Horne "Larry H." Miller was a Utah businessman and philanthropist who was well known as the owner of the NBA's Utah Jazz and the of Triple-A baseball team, the Salt Lake Bees, 41 automotive dealerships throughout the Western United States , and a variety of other business ventures...
noted that "[i]t did look funny" that Fisher signed with the Lakers, but he did not believe Fisher or Lakers owner Jerry Buss
Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
would do anything underhanded. Jazz fans have taunted him, suspecting that he simply wanted to return to the Lakers.
When the 2007–08 season began, Fisher resumed his role as the Lakers' starting point guard. He contributed a solid season, shooting 40% from the three point range and 88% from the free throw line, the highest percentage of his career. He made a controversial defensive play in Game 4 of the Lakers-Spurs Western Conference Finals, when late in the game Fisher jumped into Brent Barry
Brent Barry
Brent Robert Barry is an American former professional basketball player. The , shooting guard was selected out of Oregon State University by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly after to the Los Angeles Clippers.Barry played professionally...
's path without a foul called, causing Barry to miss a potential game winning shot. The Lakers eventually ousted the Spurs 4–1, but lost the NBA Finals
2008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
to Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
.
Throughout the 2009 NBA Playoffs
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
, Fisher faced criticism about his age and lackluster defensive performances against younger, quicker opposing point guards. However, Fisher helped the Lakers win Game 4 over the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals
2009 NBA Finals
The 2009 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2008-09 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending Western Conference champions, and the Orlando Magic, champions of the...
, hitting a three pointer over Jameer Nelson with 4.6 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime, and a tie-breaking three pointer with 31.3 seconds remaining in overtime to help send the Lakers to a 3–1 series lead and soon after, the franchise's 15th NBA title. Bill Plaschke
Bill Plaschke
William Paul "Bill" Plaschke is an American sports journalist who has written for the Los Angeles Times since 1987. As a child he attended St. Albert the Great Elementary School in Louisville. He then went on to attend Ballard High School. He spent his freshman year at Baylor University in Waco,...
of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
described these shots by stating, "After his two jaw-flooring three-pointers led the Lakers to a 99–91 overtime victory against the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, you'll now officially be seeing him forever." Fisher's 11.0 points per game, 50% shooting average, and 44% three-point percentage over the course of the Finals were an improvement over his regular season numbers and a departure from his post-season struggles to that point. He had shot 23.5% from behind the three point line and 35.6% from the field in the three prior playoff series. This was Fisher's fourth NBA championship.
On September 8, 2009, Fisher released a book, Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball. He is credited as the author of the book with Gary Brozek contributing. On February 3, 2010, Fisher made the 1,000th 3-pointer of his career against the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
. On February 10, 2010, Fisher played his 1,000th career game against his former team, the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, beating Kobe Bryant to the milestone by one game. On February 23, 2010, Fisher made the 9,000th point of his NBA career against the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
.
On June 8, 2010, in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Fisher played a pivotal role down the stretch to help the Lakers take a 2–1 series lead. In the 4th quarter, he scored 11 of his 16 points, including a 3-point-play lay-up that helped the Lakers wrap up a 91–84 road victory. In Game 7, the Lakers came all the way back from a 13-point 3rd-quarter deficit when Fisher hit a critical 3-pointer to tie the game with 6:11 remaining. The Lakers ultimately defeated the Celtics 83–79, and Fisher went on to win his fifth NBA championship.
After his fifth Championship win, Fisher became a free agent, fielding offers from several teams, including the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. On July 12, 2010, he agreed to a three-year, $10.5 million deal with a player option in the third year. Though their contract offer was not the most lucrative, Fisher considered it "the most valuable" option.
Player profile
Jackson said Fisher was "definitely the spokesman for [the Lakers] as far as leadership goes."In a 2011 poll of NBA players by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, Fisher received the fourth most votes, six percent, for being the best flopper in the game. "Fish takes the contact. He does draw and sell offensive fouls," Jackson said. "We're happy he does what he does."
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 1996–97
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 80 || 3 || 11.5 || .397 || .301 || .658 || 1.2 || 1.5 || .5 || .1 || 3.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 36 || 21.5 || .434 || .383 || .757 || 2.4 || 4.1 || .9 || .1 || 5.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 50 || 21 || 22.6 || .376 || .392 || .759 || 1.8 || 3.9 || 1.2 || .0 || 5.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 78 || 22 || 23.1 || .346 || .313 || .724 || 1.8 || 2.8 || 1.0 || .0 || 6.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 20 || 20 || 35.5 || .412 || .397 || .806 || 3.0 || 4.4 || 2.0 || .1 || 11.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 70 || 35 || 28.2 || .411 || .413 || .847 || 2.1 || 2.6 || .9 || .1 || 11.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 34.5 || .437 || .401 || .800 || 2.9 || 3.6 || 1.1 || .2 || 10.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 3 || 21.6 || .352 || .291 || .797 || 1.9 || 2.3 || 1.3 || .1 || 7.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 74 || 32 || 30.0 || .393 || .371 || .862 || 2.9 || 4.1 || 1.0 || .1 || 11.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06
| style="text-align:left;"| Golden State
| 82 || 36 || 31.6 || .410 || .397 || .833 || 2.6 || 4.3 || 1.5 || .1 || 13.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 82 || 61 || 27.9 || .382 || .308 || .853 || 1.8 || 3.3 || 1.0 || .1 || 10.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 27.4 || .436 || .406 || .883 || 2.1 || 2.9 || 1.0 || .0 || 11.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 29.8 || .424 || .397 || .846 || 2.3 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .1 || 9.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 27.2 || .380 || .348 || .856 || 2.1 || 2.5 || 1.1 || .1 || 7.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 82 || 82 || 28.0 || .389 || .396 || .806 || 1.9 || 2.7 || 1.2 || .1 || 6.8
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 1110 || 678 || 26.3 || .401 || .375 || .815 || 2.1 || 3.1 || 1.1 || .1 || 8.8
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 1997
1997 NBA Playoffs
The 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 6 || 0 || 5.7 || .273 || .000 || 0.667 || .5 || 1.0 || 0.2 || .0 || 1.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998
1998 NBA Playoffs
The 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their sixth championship of the decade by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz four...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 13 || 13 || 21.4 || .397 || .300 || .621 || 1.9 || 3.8 || 1.3 || .0 || 6.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 8 || 8 || 29.8 || .418 || .345 || .800 || 3.6 || 4.9 || 1.0 || .0 || 9.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 21 || 0 || 15.3 || .430 || .414 || .760 || 1.0 || 2.0 || .5 || .0 || 4.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001
2001 NBA Playoffs
The 2001 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000–01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their second consecutive championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 16 || 16 || 36.0 || .484 || .515 || .765 || 3.8 || 3.0 || 1.3 || .1 || 13.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 19 || 19 || 34.2 || .357 || .358 || .786 || 3.3 || 2.7 || 1.0 || .0 || 10.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 12 || 12 || 35.3 || .520 || .617 || .818 || 3.0 || 1.8 || 1.5 || .1 || 12.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 22 || 0 || 23.0 || .405 || .418 || .657 || 2.5 || 2.2 || .8 || .0 || 7.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2007
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| style="text-align:left;"| Utah
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 16 || 14 || 27.8 || .405 || .375 || .933 || 1.6 || 2.6 || 1.0 || .1 || 9.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2008
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 21 || 21 || 31.6 || .452 || .440 || .836 || 2.2 || 2.5 || 2.0 || .1 || 10.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2009
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 22 || 22 || 28.9 || .394 || .284 || .861 || 2.0 || 2.2 || .9 || .0 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2010
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2009–10 season. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 23 || 23 || 32.8 || .448 || .360 || .821 || 2.5 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .0 || 10.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers
| 10 || 10 || 32.5 || .433 || .412 || .810 || 2.7 || 2.6 || 1.4 || .2 || 8.2
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 209 || 158 || 28.0 || .427 || .402 || .798 || 2.4 || 2.6 || 1.1 || .1 || 8.9
Players union
Fisher was a player representative for the NBPA before becoming a member of the union’s executive committee. He was elected as the union's president in 2006. He supported the NBA's refereesOfficial (basketball)
In basketball, an official is a person who has the responsibility to enforce the rules and maintain the order of the game. The title of official also applies to the scorers and timekeepers, as well as other personnel that have an active task in maintaining the game...
during their lockout
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
in 2009. During the 2011 NBA lockout
2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
, Fisher took a more active role than his predecessors, and he shared the lead with Billy Hunter, the union's full-time executive director. Jason Whitlock
Jason Whitlock
Jason Lee Whitlock is a sportswriter for Foxsports.com, as well as a former columnist at the Kansas City Star, AOL Sports writer, contributor to ESPN, and radio personality for WHB and KCSP sports stations in the Kansas City area.-College and sports:Whitlock was an all-state offensive lineman at...
of Foxsports.com
Foxsports.com
Foxsports.com provides sports news, scores, sports statistics, sports and entertainment video, sports fantasy leagues and fantasy information. Launched in July 2001, it is a unit of Fox Interactive Media, which also includes other News Corporation online businesses, including MySpace, IGN...
wrote that Fisher was privately working with Stern on a deal to accept a lower percentage of revenues for the players and that Hunter confronted Fisher about the issue. In a letter to the players, Fisher called the reports questioning his loyalty "absurd" and demanded "a retraction for the libelous and defamatory stories" through his attorneys. Hunter said his "relationship with Derek is very good. There was no confrontation."
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played