Derek Fisher the former teammate of late Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles Lakers is coming to Abu Dhabi the following month as part of the global basketball diplomacy for two pre-season NBA games in the land of the Sheikhs
January 26, 2020, will always be a date that brings grief to many basketball aficionados worldwide. This was the day over two years old Kobe Bryant delighted by his junior daughter Gianna who was only thirteen at that time who came to play for a game scheduled later on, took his daughter in a helicopter and went to God with it.
The helicopter the family was in went down in the state of California killing everyone aboard including eight other passengers and bringing the sporting community to tears.
Kobe was due to be in charge of the girls team at the Mamba Sports Academy when Gianna was selected to play on a ger Whoop Card measuring: Dates of replica. Since 2016 when the greatest player of all time retired from active competition with the Los Angeles Lakers, with sad efficiency he taught children the game that he loved until the last moments of his life.
Almost a year and ten months after the devastating choke and frustration, the doors of Abu Dhabi to the NBA opened to the public with sensational pre-preseason encounter zones allowing the fans and blooming cagers in the area to see the superstars on the go and cut the game with both old and new heroes in the arena fan zones.
Desde la primera edición celebrada en 2022, muchos íconos del baloncesto han participado en el NBA Abu Dhabi Games Ordinari, pero los aficionados al deporte en los Emiratos todavía están feeling the big void left by the untimely death of Kobe.” .
For Derek Fisher, who counts five NBA trophies in as many years of Lakers with Kobe, rather ‘the greatness of his best friend’, the fans and especially the youngsters can draw appreciably.
“His work ethic in being a professional athlete, playing a game NBA for a living was incredible. Despite the many victories, and incredible, indeed there were no more debates, it was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, basketball players, but that did not prevent him from perfecting his art and seeking personal development.
The satisfying ambition
I would be present at the two pre-season basketball venues for fun games between Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets which were scheduled for fun games on 4 and 6 October 2019 in Abu Dhabi sy. He would explain that Kobe the player’s huge legacy was not the one on the court.
Kobe set himself apart from men with the geniuses and the great advantage that he had the insatiable will to strive forward undaunted.”
“A lot of people in life, after they reach a certain level in their respective fields, they are like, ‘Oh, this is what we have done, we know what we can do’.But Kobe was never satisfied,” Fisher said.
“He always wanted to get better and this is what made Kobe so special. He always looked for ways to improve further.”
“People often say, greatness is within us, so do the great. Great athletes, great teachers,….in whatever they do, they don’t remain still. And this is the way Kobe was on an everyday basis. This is something that every single one of us have a right to be taught.”
Having made clear what the young ones will learn from the immortal Kobe, Fisher relaxed and shared what is his keystone of passing on advise to young hopeful players.
“I think the most important thing I can tell in so many situations people is how crucial it is to seize those chances that come in life,” he explained.
“If for the pursuit of something or the admiration of it is followed by activities on the court, the time you spend on or the position on which you get standing should not count,” he said.
“Even though there are external factors, what one can influence is what counts. In any given scenario, it is imperative to remember that there are things that are worth attention only, or this angle is also very relevant.”
Is there a future crossover today with a few dribbles in only one month to turn into an NBA star from the location Charter U-18 team one day?
The 50-year old speaks these words that such high profile Asia basket pre events with big teams in Abu Dhabi would encourage a lot of aspiring young folks to plan out reaching the NBA in future.
“From what we’ve seen, one of the most important affairs, you know, is advancing new generation talents, making people be active, showing the game NBA,” he uttered.
“It’s wonderful whereas fans of other supporting activities may never have an opportunity of participating such once in lifetime opportunity. For basketball fans, it’s like that Christmas.”
Fisher says he is looking forward to the final day of the NBA pre-season games where he will be playing in Abu Dhabi as an international basketball figure head.
“This is my first visit to Abu Dhabi. I am interested in meeting people and fans, taking pictures with them and speaking to them about this sport. I am so much looking forward to this,” he said.
“In my life, in my journey, some of the greatest moments are when you are able to have that lasting relationship with the fans (in other parts of the world) for a long time. As far as my playing career is concerned, it is such trips which I could not experience, I had not covered the distances the way I have covered now around various parts of the globe.
“Basketball is to me obviously something that will take me through my life and it is one thing that I will die doing.
“Fortunately enough we are having this visit to Abu Dhabi, spending time in the UAE and wait for the evolution of this sport NBA, which is basketball. Thank you.”