Los Angeles Lakers: For Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher Breaking Up is Hard to do...

Playing in the NBA for 15 years, you've won 5 Championships been to 7 NBA Finals. You look around the locker room noticing all the reporters standing around in their usual format asking questions to teammates sitting at their locker. You over hear a few questions and answers being thrown around between players and media staff and then it hits you, the moment you notice your childhood (rookie) friend is missing. Things start to become a little bit more blurry as the new coach enters the locker room and he approaches you, yes the rumors are true. The teammate you knew and loved for 15 years is gone, the team co-captain, heart and soul has been traded. Man breaking up is hard to do....

Kobe Bryant has won 5 Championships in the NBA 1 with the basketball player formerly known as Ron Artest, 2 with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, and 3 with the most dominating "Big Man" to ever play the game Shaquille O'Neal. Yet, none of those 5 Championships could have been accomplished without one of the most clutch players in Lakers history Derek Fisher. 

Derek and Kobe came to the Lakers the Summer of 1996, they were both rookies playing together in the back court entrusted with wearing the historic Purple and Gold of the Los Angeles Lakers. Derek was never an NBA All-Star and he didn't have to be. Derek Fisher was more than an All-Star he was a Champion, a player his teammates could depend on to make tough shots and smart decisions. He ran Phil Jackson's Triangle offense better than any point guard in Phil's coaching history.

When Kobe was double teamed and the Lakers needed a big shot Derek used his leadership and championship pedigree to knock down the big one's. If Kobe's game on the court was off, Derek was the only one with enough determination to get in Kobe's ear. Kobe and Derek's relationship meshed like the "Purple and Gold" on their jersey's. Derek was more than just a back court roommate of Kobe on the court, he was his best friend. 

One day Derek's jersey will join the highly regarded panel of West, Chamberlain, Baylor, Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Worthy, Goodrich, O'Neal (next season) and Lakers legendary announcer Chuck Hearn hanging from the rafters of the Staples Center. Next to Derek's #2 jersey will be Kobe's #24. The summer of 1996 will always be remembered as the summer the Lakers created a 5x Championship back court combining the super uber talented skills of Kobe with the professional leadership of Derek Fisher. 

For nearly 15 years, Kobe has been the on court talent and Derek has been the locker room voice of the Los Angeles Lakers. Now separated due to time but forever remembered and meshed in the Purple and Gold of the historic Los Angeles Lakers.