I respect Derek Fisher from the Lakers. One reason why is that I am a huge Lakers fan. Another reason, however, is that through the midst of struggles, Fisher has always trusted God. Though Fisher left the Lakers after the 2005 season to join the Golden State Warriors and then the Utah Jazz, I always was a fan of his.

While playing for Utah, he found out in the ‘06–‘07 season that his of 11-month-old daughter had retinoblastoma, a cancerous disease, and needed surgery and treatment. Through those times, Fisher really showed his commitment to his family and Christ. Only a couple of cities had the treatment that his daughter needed, one being Los Angeles. Fisher was willing to give up basketball and the money to focus on his daughter and family. Fisher told Utah that he needed to leave and went out on faith that God would somehow, some way provide for him. Soon after this happened, the Lakers needed a guard and signed Fisher.

Fisher trusted God, though he did not know what God had in store. Fisher is a hustler on the court but has been a spark not just on the court but off. Whether it is in an interview or just during locker room talk, he is an athlete who has the spirit of God pouring out of him.

Any athlete growing up is in a world that is all about pressure from every angle. In the environment he is in, it is tough to stay strong. But the reason I look up to him is not just because he plays basketball –– he has always been a man of God who never let the world take over him.