From his late, clutch-hitting threes to his veteran leadership, Derek Fisher had always been a fan favorite during his two stints in Los Angeles. Fisher, now a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, is expected to retire following the completion of this, his 18th, season. Interestingly enough, Fisher’s potential availability has caught the eye of one of his former coaches.
New President of the New York Knicks, Phil Jackson, has his eye on bringing in Fisher to New York as a coach, per reported sources. However, according to Thunder beat writer Darnell Mayberry, Fisher has not thought about the possibility of becoming a coach:
Fisher on rumors of coaching Knicks: "That is not in my radar or in my scope or anything that I've thought about, even coaching in general."
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) April 2, 2014
Even more, Fisher says that neither he nor Jackson have brought up the idea of Fisher being a candidate, via Mayberry:
Fisher: "I congratulated (Phil) and we've spoken, but he hasn't said anything to me about it, and I haven't said anything to him about it."
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) April 2, 2014
Fisher is currently chasing his sixth ring after winning five with the Lakers in two separate stints under the coaching of Jackson. Jackson and Fisher have remained close since both went their separate ways, but right now Fisher is more concerned about this season.
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Jason Kidd became the first player to go directly to coaching after one season and seems to be laying the foundation for future players to follow his lead. Fisher has always been a great leader on the court but that does not mean it will translate to the sidelines. Anytime a former Jackson player or prodigy becomes available, expect them to be immediately linked to New York in some capacity.
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