Derek Fisher was hired in 2019 by former Los Angeles Sparks General Manager Penny Toler. The idea was for Fisher to bring his championship pedigree back to LA. After all, this was the place he won five NBA championships with the late great Kobe Bryant.
His hire was met with backlash. When Toler revealed in a press conference Fisher was the only candidate interviewed for the job; many in the WNBA community felt like there were more deserving candidates than Fisher. Especially given his 40-96 coaching record during his head coaching stint with the New York Knicks.
Fisher would come in, and take over for Brian Agler: one of the WNBA’s most successful coaches and a coach who won a championship with LA in 2016.
In his first year, it was obvious Fisher had to get used to coaching in the WNBA; questionable rotations and substitutions would have him under fire from fans and media. Despite that, plus injuries from some of his stars including Candace Parker and Alana Beard, LA captured the 3rd seed.
It wasn’t until the 2019 playoffs that Fisher faced his most criticism; after he benched franchise player Parker in the 3rd quarter of an elimination game, playing her only 11 minutes.
After a locker room speech filled with curse words and racial incentives; Toler was let go, leaving LA without a GM.
Fisher unofficially took over GM duties in 2020. The move came after Fisher made moves. Fisher brought back Kristi Toliver, traded for Brittney Sykes and claimed Te’a Cooper off waivers. In 2020, Toliver opting out of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns.
Los Angeles Sparks fans wanted to see how much Fisher would improve from his first year in the league; it was obvious from a viewers’ standpoint, not plenty. His substations were still questionable, along with his rotations. LA also had an inability not being able to beat teams that were over .500.
Fisher installed a defensive mindset. It resulted in LA becoming the 3rd ranked defense in the WNBA two years in a row.
At the end of the 2020 season, after the Connecticut Sun eliminated LA for the second year in a row, many felt like it might have been Fisher’s last season with the Sparks. So, when Fisher received a contract extension, along with becoming the team’s GM, people were surprised.
In his first tenure as GM, he lost superstar Chelsea Gray to the Las Vegas Aces. Also, he lost franchise player Parker to the Chicago Sky in free agency.
Fisher did bring back players like Sykes, Cooper and Nneka Ogwumike. In addition, he signed free agents Amanda Zahui B. and Erica Wheeler.
Heading into the 2021 WNBA draft, Fisher made another risky decision. Fisher traded the Sparks 2022 draft pick to the Dallas Wings for Dallas 2021 first-round pick, and the 7th overall selection.
So, that brings us to the present day. The Sparks are 14 games into their season with a 6-8 record and 4-6 in their last 10 games. LA is also 1-6 in conference play.
Something you can’t predict, like losing Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike to knee injuries almost at the same time. Most would think that even with some major injuries a team could weather the storm. After all, with Wheeler, Toliver, and Zahui B. to go along with Sykes and Cooper, they could survive until the Ogwumikes return.
Los Angeles is 11th in offense. Even with a limited squad, Fisher continues to make the same mistakes from his freshman and sophomore years.
It’s also clear that losing Parker and Gray have hurt the Sparks.
With their loss yesterday against Phoenix; Los Angeles is in 10th place in the standings and are two games under .500 meaning that if the playoffs were to start today the Los Angeles Sparks’ nine-year playoff streak would end; the last time LA was this low in the standings was 2007.
Los Angeles is deemed as the franchise that builds itself on excellence. Anything less than a championship during a season is a failure. With Derek Fisher calling the shots, it looks like that’s where the 2021 Los Angeles Sparks might be headed. And depending on the outcome of this season the Sparks might have to let Derek Fisher go fishing.
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