Former New York Knicks head coach Derek Fisher is looking to comeback into the NBA, but not in the way we’d expect: as a 41-year-old backup point guard.
Next: NBA: 2000s All-Decade First Team
According to ESPN’s Ian Begley, “Ex-New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher hinted at a possible comeback as a player on Tuesday night when he posted a workout video with the hashtag ‘Imnotdoneyet.'”
Begley would add “that Fisher has indeed been ‘exploring options and expressing interest in playing again.'” With the way that he’s practicing in this video, Fisher seems very serious about a comeback in 2016…as a player.
"Derek Fisher reportedly mulling comeback…as player. Posts clip of him training on Facebook https://t.co/ZZGdXtvcbBhttps://t.co/yBnuFknibR— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 3, 2016"
Fisher largely failed as a head coach in the NBA because he couldn’t separate himself from the locker room culture of being a player, as opposed to a coach. His failure with the Knicks as Phil Jackson’s puppet forced to run The Triangle Offense is a reason that former players probably need at least a few years before jumping right into coaching.
Fisher last played for the 2013-14 Oklahoma City Thunder as a backup point guard to All-NBA star Russell Westbrook. Days after retiring from a playing career, Fisher was hired by his former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Jackson, now the team president of the Knicks, to run his New York basketball. That working relationship fizzled out after a year and a half with Fisher’s firing mid-season last year.
He may have been a huge piece in the Lakers’ success during their five most recent NBA Championships, but trying to play NBA point guard at the age of 42 seems a tad insane for a guy two years removed from being a player.
Clearly Fisher identifies as a player and not as a coach. The Peter Pan Complex just might be getting the best of one of the best point guards in Lakers history. Fisher looks determined to play in the NBA in 2016-17, so we’ll just have to wait and see how this turns out.
For more NBA news, please check out our NBA category page.