Getty LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before a game against the Denver Nuggets.
Although Derek Fisher isn’t coaching in the NBA anymore, the former Lakers player (and Knicks coach) didn’t hold back when asked on his thoughts about how Frank Vogel would fare coaching the purple and gold. While Fisher isn’t in the NBA, he is coaching Los Angeles’ WNBA team, the Sparks and has some experience coaching superstar talent.
Having spent two years coaching Carmelo Anthony in New York and playing alongside Kobe Bryant for the better part of his career, Fisher is no stranger to dealing with superstar egos. While the pairing in New York didn’t go all that well, Fisher is hoping a strong showing with the Sparks puts him back on the coaching radar.
Lakers News: Derek Fisher Says Frank Vogel a Good Fit to Coach LeBron James
.@derekfisher talks about what Frank Vogel brings to the #Lakers and the importance of building a positive relationship with veteran players like @KingJames.
When asked about Frank Vogel taking the helm of the Lakers, Fisher expressed considerable optimism surrounding the hire. Mainly citing Vogel’s personality as the driving force, Fisher felt that the Lakers made a good choice in the former Indiana head honcho.
Spectrum Sportsnet – “Frank’s a smart basketball coach. He’s been successful in the past and I think that he has the type of basketball understanding, IQ, and seriousness about the game to really help this team. Developing relationships with players will be the key part and I think Frank has the type of demeanor and personality where he’ll be able to do that in the right way.”
Especially when it comes to the Lakers, developing a strong relationship with your star player is even more important. With LeBron James more or less running Luke Walton out of town and acting as somewhat of a player-coach for the Lakers, having a coach who can maintain a strong and steady relationship with James through the season is paramount. This was especially evident last year where the Lakers started the season playing some of the best basketball in the league before off-court trade rumors and later injuries sent the season into a tailspin.
Derek Fisher Los Angeles Lakers Career Stats
In total, Fisher spent 13 of his 18 NBA seasons in Los Angeles, coinciding with both the early 2000s championship dynasty and the Lakers’ 2009 title run. Most notably, Fisher is known for hitting a game-winning shot against the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock.
Fisher would average 7.9 points per game across his 13 years for the Lakers along with 2.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Never known as a player who needed the ball in his hands, Fisher’s preference to defer and let Kobe Bryant run the offense helped make him the perfect backcourt-mate for the legendary ball-dominant scorer. As a solid defender with a reliable three-point shot, Fisher was able to be a major impact player for the Lakers despite his relatively low stat totals.