Mike D'Antoni

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Lore & Background

Fisher played college basketball for the Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans, earning the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 1996. Selected by the Lakers with the 24th pick in the 1996 NBA draft, he spent his first eight seasons with the franchise, winning three consecutive league championships (2000–2002) with teammates Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal and coach Phil Jackson. After the 2003–04 NBA season, Fisher signed as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors, later being traded to the Utah Jazz, whom he helped lead to the Western Conference finals. Due to his daughter's health, Fisher asked to be released from his contract in 2007. He rejoined the Lakers and won two more NBA titles with Bryant and Jackson.

In Their Own Story

One of Fisher's finest playoff moments came on May 13, 2004, in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinals between the Lakers and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. The series was tied at 2 games apiece, and Game 5 was a closely contested affair. With 11 seconds remaining, Kobe Bryant hit a jump shot to put the Lakers up 72–71. Tim Duncan then made a fadeaway 18-footer over Shaquille O'Neal to give the Spurs a 73–72 lead with 0.4 seconds on the clock. To devise strategies, three consecutive time-outs were called: the first by the Lakers, the second by San Antonio to set up the defense, and the last by the Lakers to re-set up the offense. When the game resumed, Gary Payton inbounded the ball to Fisher, who managed to catch, turn, and shoot the game-winning basket all in 0.4 seconds. Fisher sprinted off the court, as he later admitted he was uncertain he beat the buzzer and wanted to exit before the play could be reviewed. The Spurs immediately filed a dispute regarding the shot and after reviewing video footage of the play, the referees concluded that the ball indeed left Fisher's hands before the clock expired. The "0.4" shot counted and the Lakers won the game by a score of 74–73.

Reader's Guide

Fisher was selected 24th overall in the 1996 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He made his NBA debut in an early-season game against the Phoenix Suns, tallying 12 points and five assists. Over the course of his rookie season, Fisher appeared in 80 games, averaging 3.9 points, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 rebounds. He was selected to the Schick Rookie Game during the All-Star Weekend in Cleveland and had 16 points and six assists. In the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, Fisher played in all 50 games and started in 21. Phil Jackson became the Lakers' head coach prior to the 1999–2000 season. Fisher worked hard on his shooting during the offseason to increase his value to the new coach. He started in 22 of 78 games for the season, and the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in six games to win the 2000 NBA championship, Fisher's first. Due to a stress fracture in his right foot, Fisher missed the first 62 games of the 2000–01 season. He returned on March 13, 2001, and started the final 20 games of the season, averaging 11.5 points per game. The Lakers swept through the Western Conference, and Fisher averaged 13.4 points per game and shot a team-best 51 percent from beyond the three-point line. This included a career-high 28 points on 6 for 7 three-point shooting in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs. In the Finals, the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in 5 games, bolstered by Fisher's 18 points on 6 of 8 shooting from three-point range in game 5. At the time of his retirement, Fisher was first in career postseason games played with 259, a record later broken by LeBron James.

Did You Know?

• Fisher was selected to the Schick Rookie Game during the 1997 All-Star Weekend in Cleveland and had 16 points and six assists.
• He set a school record for free throws made in a career (399) at Arkansas-Little Rock.
• In 2005, Fisher pledged $700,000 to UALR towards the construction of its Jack Stephens Center auxiliary gym and the establishment of the Fisher Fellows Life Skills program.
• At the time of his retirement, Fisher was first in career postseason games played with 259, a record later broken by LeBron James.
• Fisher was hired as the head coach of the New York Knicks by Phil Jackson, who had become the team's president.