Fish-like: The Anatomy of a Winner

View “da” Clip:

Exposed Preparation: Lakers Buzzer Beat the Heat

Does anybody hit bigger shots than Derek Fisher? Does anybody epitomize doing the little things like the 24th overall pick in the 1996 draft?

Kobe did what he does on Friday night hitting a heart breaking, one-footed 3-pointer to send the Maimi Heat packing. That’s “game time” as we say when the winning bucket falls. But unsung is the consumate professional Derek Lamar Fisher who has devoted his career to qualitative representation of the sport and manhood away from it.

Note the textbook defensive position as he squares up to play the league’s toughest guards one-on-one while getting picked up top by big men who love to set up the pick-and-roll. “Fish” is the dude who sets up the dude. He’s the vice president type, leading by example and resolutely directing traffic whether he has the ball or not. He’s the diplomat, the advocate having been president of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) players’ association. He’s the guy that can speak to the official in protest of a call without gettin’ “T’d” up.

Derek Fisher is the guy you look for photos of via a search engine only to find images of him diving, smiling, loading up the 3-ball or standing affectionately next to his wife Candace and/or daughter Tatum. He’s not a perfect man for perfect men are not needed on a Laker team with future and current Hall of Famers all around.  But “Fish” is the guy you need if you want to be in the position to win. And no matter your team, it’s fair to assume that your ability to be a Derek Fisher is of greatest value.