Derek Fisher is ready to be a head coach

It would appear that the playing days of Derek Fisher are over for good. After Oklahoma City was eliminated in the Semi-Finals of the NBA Playoffs, the rumors of Fisher becoming a head coach went into full frenzy. Those rumors were already flying around well before the Thunder were taken out by the Spurs.

Marc Berman of the New York Post summed up the final exit interview press conference of the year for the Thunder, in which the 39-year old cited coaching as his ‘calling.’ While not willing to make any commitments or comments regarding the rumors that he could head to New York to coach the Knicks, Fisher acknowledges that this is one area of the game that he could definitely get behind.

"“Coaching allows me to positively impact other people’s lives, to help people find success when they haven’t or have, working together for common goal. That’s what I did for 33 years as a player, starting with basketball at age 6. There’s a love for helping other people. Not playing anymore — if that’s what it’s to be — coaching or being in the front office or being in a role where I can positively impact others and work together for a common goal is exciting to me.”"

Fisher did not immediately announce his retirement, but had already said during training camp that 2013-2014 would more than likely be the end of the road for his 17-year career. That career spanned five different teams, with the Los Angeles Lakers being the team he played the most seasons for at thirteen. He played only 9 games with the Dallas Mavericks before requesting his release due to personal matters and then signing a contract later in the 2012-2013 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Fisher and his family live in the Los Angeles area and that is likely to play a huge role in determining where he goes once he begins coaching. If he does accept a coaching job in this off-season, he would join Jason Kidd as the second person in the last two years to go immediately from jersey to suit.