With the hiring of Derek Fisher as the new Head Coach of the New York Knicks, it is evident that his playing career has come to an end. Statistically speaking, the former Point Guard had done enough in the NBA to really be considered a Hall of Fame entry, and with this announcement, there has not been any media outlet petitioning for his inclusion. However, as we often do here at Notinhalloffame.com we ask the Hall of Fame question: Is Derek Fisher closer to Springfield than we think?
Drafted as the 24th pick in the 1996 draft from Arkansas-Little Rock where he was the Sun Belt Player of the Year, Derek Fisher would be a part of five NBA Championships, all with the Los Angeles Lakers. Fisher would compete in 1,287 regular season games (18th overall) and this year set the all-time mark for playoff games with 259. In regards to his stats, Fisher retires with a career average 11.8 Points per Game and a Hollinger PER Average of 11.7, which are not numbers that will likely not get him a serious look at the Hall of Fame, despite the five titles. Still, should other intangibles play a factor here?
Derek Fisher has often been described as a locker room leader and a keen student of the game. Does not the fact that Fisher was coveted as a Head Coach before he retired illustrate that fact? He was also chosen as the National Basketball Player’s Union President in 2006, and though some in that role had criticized him, his ascension to that post shows the respect that he had within the league. Should Fisher absorb half of the magic that made Phil Jackson such a dynamic leader, could we be having this conversation decades later when he ceased being a coach in the NBA.
Either way, we have a feeling that the Derek Fisher to the Basketball Hall of Fame debate could be just starting up, and we are very curious to see what else he will add to his resume.
Comments powered by CComment