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Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball
The Three Time NBA Champion and starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers shares his Christian faith and inspirational values for success and happiness. Since his inaugural season with the NBA in 1996, Derek Fisher has had a dramatic impact on the great success of the Lakers. Playing alongside legendary players like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Lamar Odom, Fisher has held his position at point guard, participating in some of the most dramatic post-season games and moments in recent memory. In 2007 Derek Fisher and his wife Candace’s lives were upturned by news that their eleven-month-old daughter, Tatum, had been diagnosed with a degenerative and rare form of eye cancer called retinoblastoma. Although his team, the Utah Jazz, was in the midst of a heated playoff series, Fisher immediately put his family first to be with his daughter at the time of her required emergency surgery and chemotherapy. Nominated the best moment in the 2007 ESPY Awards, Derek was able to make a dramatic late entrance and performance in the fourth quarter of game 2 to help the Jazz to an emotional victory. Following the season, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him of his contract so he could devote his energies to fighting his daughter’s retinoblastoma without knowing if he would ever play basketball again. Fisher officially rejoined the Lakers, resuming his role as point guard, and provided a veteran influence alongside Kobe Bryant to a relatively young Lakers squad. In his compelling new book, Fisher shares the Christian values that have guided him on the court and off. With anecdotes from his personal and professional life, Fisher offers lessons learned along the way. Drawing on the power of faith, he shows how anyone can play for a successful team: whether that team is family, community, or just happens to be one in the NBA.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
6 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 21, 2017
I have always been a D. Fisher fan. He and Scottie Pippen, Arkansas natives, have always been two of my favorite players. First and foremost, I love the history behind their travel to the NBA. Secondly, it gives credence to the fact that small town individuals can make it. More than anything, I love their down home values. When they played there were never reported incidents with the law or other such negativity.
Character Driven, like so many works by and about athletes, showed that life lessons that are learned at home can be cultivated on the court, the field and in the arena. I had this book for a while and purposefully held off on reading until the NBA season kicked up again.
Now, I know that there was a recent issue with him and Matt Barnes and he has departed from the Knicks. But, it does not take away from his character. Fisher parlayed a great basketball career for himself, became President of the Players Association and was pivotal in helping Kobe to learn the nuisances about team play.
The book was laid out in such a simple and easy to read manner. I loved the subtopics of each chapter: putting your skills to the best use: performing when it counts, knocking them down: free throws and seeking opportunities, defending: protecting what's important to you, and others. He utilized basketball language but attached a life lesson.
His parents and his family should be proud of the manner in which he has lived. I can see him being a draw to AAU circuits and others. One of my most favorite section in the book was how important it is for all individuals to "know the rules of the game that they are playing." Fisher was speaking about a tie game that occurred in the NFL (Bengals and the Eagles). During the regular season in 2008, they played and neither team scored. McNabb was under the impression that he would get another chance to score (so was his coach). That did not happen.
It was revealed that, at that time, during "regular season," regular season games can end in a tie when neither team scores in the single overtime they play. He stated he felt bad for McNabb but had tremendous respect for his because he stood up and stated "I never knew that was in the rule book." What was he implying: D. Fisher was stating that "knowledge is a game changer." We saw it with Chris Webber at Michigan in the NCAA 1993 finals game (yes, I am a sports buff:).
Prior to retiring and entering the coaching arena, D. Fisher walked away from millions. His daughter had been diagnosed with cancer. He thought and showed where his values were. He and his family realize that although cancer struck his daughter....cancer impacts the entire family. He didn’t leave his wife to deal with that diagnosis along. He did what he had seen his parents do: stand and deliver.
I am passing this book down to some of my church babies that love sports. Many coaches, from Wooden, Summit, P. Jackson and my all time favorite coach, Popovich, require their players to be students of the game in which they play as well as students in life. There are lessons all around us...sports gives so many of them. Let’s trust that the integrity of the game isn’t lost on those trying to get ahead by circumventing the system or other unscrupulous manners. Thanks D. Fisher for being a man of integrity.
Character Driven, like so many works by and about athletes, showed that life lessons that are learned at home can be cultivated on the court, the field and in the arena. I had this book for a while and purposefully held off on reading until the NBA season kicked up again.
Now, I know that there was a recent issue with him and Matt Barnes and he has departed from the Knicks. But, it does not take away from his character. Fisher parlayed a great basketball career for himself, became President of the Players Association and was pivotal in helping Kobe to learn the nuisances about team play.
The book was laid out in such a simple and easy to read manner. I loved the subtopics of each chapter: putting your skills to the best use: performing when it counts, knocking them down: free throws and seeking opportunities, defending: protecting what's important to you, and others. He utilized basketball language but attached a life lesson.
His parents and his family should be proud of the manner in which he has lived. I can see him being a draw to AAU circuits and others. One of my most favorite section in the book was how important it is for all individuals to "know the rules of the game that they are playing." Fisher was speaking about a tie game that occurred in the NFL (Bengals and the Eagles). During the regular season in 2008, they played and neither team scored. McNabb was under the impression that he would get another chance to score (so was his coach). That did not happen.
It was revealed that, at that time, during "regular season," regular season games can end in a tie when neither team scores in the single overtime they play. He stated he felt bad for McNabb but had tremendous respect for his because he stood up and stated "I never knew that was in the rule book." What was he implying: D. Fisher was stating that "knowledge is a game changer." We saw it with Chris Webber at Michigan in the NCAA 1993 finals game (yes, I am a sports buff:).
Prior to retiring and entering the coaching arena, D. Fisher walked away from millions. His daughter had been diagnosed with cancer. He thought and showed where his values were. He and his family realize that although cancer struck his daughter....cancer impacts the entire family. He didn’t leave his wife to deal with that diagnosis along. He did what he had seen his parents do: stand and deliver.
I am passing this book down to some of my church babies that love sports. Many coaches, from Wooden, Summit, P. Jackson and my all time favorite coach, Popovich, require their players to be students of the game in which they play as well as students in life. There are lessons all around us...sports gives so many of them. Let’s trust that the integrity of the game isn’t lost on those trying to get ahead by circumventing the system or other unscrupulous manners. Thanks D. Fisher for being a man of integrity.
April 18, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “SOMETIMES NICE GUYS DO WIN!”
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Derek Fisher though not always a starter was always an integral part of four World Championships as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. He won multiple championships with Kobe and “SHAQ”… and he has also won a championship only with Kobe. Fisher has left the Lakers and played with the Golden State Warriors and with the Utah Jazz… and made his way back “home” again to the Lakers. Through the wins and the losses… through the changes in geography… and changes in teammates… one thing never changed… Derek was a class act both on and off the court. While other more famous teammates may have been the marketing face of the teams Derek was on… Derek always remained the voice of sensibility that the public at large glued their dwindling hopes to for a player that was an all around nice guy. I met Derek after a game in Boston when he was with the Lakers. It was my sons twenty-first birthday and through friends we were allowed in a special area for player’s friends and family and special guests. Many of the other players ignored my son’s request for an autograph… but not Derek (or Robert Horry). He was a gentleman and signed my sons Derek Fisher basketball card.
As the author tells his life story he tries very hard to serve two “masters”. One is the game of basketball… and one is a little over-ambitious attempt at prophesizing that everything that is important in basketball correlates directly with everyday life off the court. As an example he goes from detailing all the hard work and concepts of playing defense in the NBA to saying: “Off the court playing defense makes a lot of sense as well. Now that I’m a parent, I’m even more conscious of protecting what’s valuable to me and what’s in my literal and figurative houses.” After discussing the training his Father put him through as a teenager which included wearing a flak jacket while he ran… he segues to discussing being more open with his family at home: “with my kids, my wife, and in my other relationships, I want to let my guard down, let them know that THEY ARE WELCOME TO SCORE IN MY HOUSE, AND THAT I’M NOT GOING TO BLOCK THEIR SHOT AND NOT ISOLATE SO MUCH OF MY LIFE FROM THEM.” The core of this book is the horrifying experience Derek and his wife Candace experienced with their daughter Tatum. She was diagnosed with retinoblastoma-a tumor of the retina. The story starts there and then flashes back to Derek’s childhood in Little Rock Arkansas. He had loving parents to whom he is forever grateful… and he still doesn’t comprehend their divorce and his Father quitting his job. Fisher was a high school All American… won an AAU national championship… won a state high school championship… and received a scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock… and of course the NBA career and championships that followed. Unfortunately the pure basketball segments aren’t allowed to flow as fast and free like a “LAKER-SHOWTIME-FAST-BREAK* as they should… because Derek is trying so hard to inject and intertwine “life-lessons-learned”. But like Derek Fisher himself… you know he means nothing but the best for all people concerned including the reading audience.
There are a number of historical/statistical mistakes in the book that should have been caught by an editor such as when the writer states: “KARL MALONE WAS ONE OF THE NBA’S GREATEST FREE THROW SHOOTERS, LEADING THE LEAGUE IN FREE THROW PERCENTAGE EIGHT TIMES IN HIS CAREER (FIVE SEASONS IN A ROW FROM 1988 TO 1993)” This is just not so! Karl Malone NEVER led the NBA in free throw percentage. And in the years the author says he did… the following players led the league: 1988 Jack Sikma 1989 Magic Johnson 1990 Larry Bird 1991 Reggie Miller 1992 Mark Price 1993 Mark Price. In fact Karl Malone’s lifetime free throw percentage was 74.2% and he never even shot over 80% in any given season. He also stated that the Lakers drafted him in round twenty-four. There is no twenty-fourth round in the NBA draft. He was the twenty-fourth pick in the first round. He said that in the first game of the 1999-2000 playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers that ““SHAQ” was a monster, scoring 41 points on 14-of-25 shooting and making 13 of 27 field goal attempts.” That should be 13 of 27 free throw attempts not field goal attempts. He says that “Bo Kimble, in one of the most moving acts of sportsmanship I can ever remember, shot every free throw in his NCAA tournament games left-handed in memory of Hank.” (Gathers). That is totally incorrect. Kimble DID NOT SHOOT EVERY FREE THROW LEFT-HANDED… HE SHOT THE *FIRST* FREE THROW OF EACH OF THE TOURNAMENT GAMES LEFT HANDED. Derek makes the comment: “the NBA’s policies do make clear what the expectations are, and I suppose it’s up to us to adjust to them, but that feels a little like putting the horse before the cart.” I believe the horse IS supposed to be in front of the cart.
In summary, Derek is a wonderful, beautiful, talented individual. Throughout this book he stresses the importance of teamwork. I think Derek’s team for this book should have sent in a substitute for the editor.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek Fisher though not always a starter was always an integral part of four World Championships as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. He won multiple championships with Kobe and “SHAQ”… and he has also won a championship only with Kobe. Fisher has left the Lakers and played with the Golden State Warriors and with the Utah Jazz… and made his way back “home” again to the Lakers. Through the wins and the losses… through the changes in geography… and changes in teammates… one thing never changed… Derek was a class act both on and off the court. While other more famous teammates may have been the marketing face of the teams Derek was on… Derek always remained the voice of sensibility that the public at large glued their dwindling hopes to for a player that was an all around nice guy. I met Derek after a game in Boston when he was with the Lakers. It was my sons twenty-first birthday and through friends we were allowed in a special area for player’s friends and family and special guests. Many of the other players ignored my son’s request for an autograph… but not Derek (or Robert Horry). He was a gentleman and signed my sons Derek Fisher basketball card.
As the author tells his life story he tries very hard to serve two “masters”. One is the game of basketball… and one is a little over-ambitious attempt at prophesizing that everything that is important in basketball correlates directly with everyday life off the court. As an example he goes from detailing all the hard work and concepts of playing defense in the NBA to saying: “Off the court playing defense makes a lot of sense as well. Now that I’m a parent, I’m even more conscious of protecting what’s valuable to me and what’s in my literal and figurative houses.” After discussing the training his Father put him through as a teenager which included wearing a flak jacket while he ran… he segues to discussing being more open with his family at home: “with my kids, my wife, and in my other relationships, I want to let my guard down, let them know that THEY ARE WELCOME TO SCORE IN MY HOUSE, AND THAT I’M NOT GOING TO BLOCK THEIR SHOT AND NOT ISOLATE SO MUCH OF MY LIFE FROM THEM.” The core of this book is the horrifying experience Derek and his wife Candace experienced with their daughter Tatum. She was diagnosed with retinoblastoma-a tumor of the retina. The story starts there and then flashes back to Derek’s childhood in Little Rock Arkansas. He had loving parents to whom he is forever grateful… and he still doesn’t comprehend their divorce and his Father quitting his job. Fisher was a high school All American… won an AAU national championship… won a state high school championship… and received a scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock… and of course the NBA career and championships that followed. Unfortunately the pure basketball segments aren’t allowed to flow as fast and free like a “LAKER-SHOWTIME-FAST-BREAK* as they should… because Derek is trying so hard to inject and intertwine “life-lessons-learned”. But like Derek Fisher himself… you know he means nothing but the best for all people concerned including the reading audience.
There are a number of historical/statistical mistakes in the book that should have been caught by an editor such as when the writer states: “KARL MALONE WAS ONE OF THE NBA’S GREATEST FREE THROW SHOOTERS, LEADING THE LEAGUE IN FREE THROW PERCENTAGE EIGHT TIMES IN HIS CAREER (FIVE SEASONS IN A ROW FROM 1988 TO 1993)” This is just not so! Karl Malone NEVER led the NBA in free throw percentage. And in the years the author says he did… the following players led the league: 1988 Jack Sikma 1989 Magic Johnson 1990 Larry Bird 1991 Reggie Miller 1992 Mark Price 1993 Mark Price. In fact Karl Malone’s lifetime free throw percentage was 74.2% and he never even shot over 80% in any given season. He also stated that the Lakers drafted him in round twenty-four. There is no twenty-fourth round in the NBA draft. He was the twenty-fourth pick in the first round. He said that in the first game of the 1999-2000 playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers that ““SHAQ” was a monster, scoring 41 points on 14-of-25 shooting and making 13 of 27 field goal attempts.” That should be 13 of 27 free throw attempts not field goal attempts. He says that “Bo Kimble, in one of the most moving acts of sportsmanship I can ever remember, shot every free throw in his NCAA tournament games left-handed in memory of Hank.” (Gathers). That is totally incorrect. Kimble DID NOT SHOOT EVERY FREE THROW LEFT-HANDED… HE SHOT THE *FIRST* FREE THROW OF EACH OF THE TOURNAMENT GAMES LEFT HANDED. Derek makes the comment: “the NBA’s policies do make clear what the expectations are, and I suppose it’s up to us to adjust to them, but that feels a little like putting the horse before the cart.” I believe the horse IS supposed to be in front of the cart.
In summary, Derek is a wonderful, beautiful, talented individual. Throughout this book he stresses the importance of teamwork. I think Derek’s team for this book should have sent in a substitute for the editor.
October 23, 2019
I’m a D Fisher fan and all but this book just isn’t it. I respect on how he told his story, but I honestly felt like the book was just so dull and basic.
May 3, 2010
Look, I love Derek Fisher, and regardless of this book, he is still my favorite NBA player. This book, however, was terrible, and for just one reason. I had been eyeing this book for a long time because I believe Fisher is a quality person and stands for the right things. That did not change after reading this book; he still is all of those things.
However, I am a Laker fan. I picked this book up because I'm a Laker fan, not because I believe Fisher and Gary Brozek (cool last name though) are exceptional writers. I wanted to hear about what is was like for Fisher to play on all those great Laker teams, and what it was like for Fisher to go through a life-changing moment in Utah to take care of his kid who had retina cancer. I believe Fisher is an EXCEPTIONAL man for taking care of his daughter, Tatum. But that is not why I picked up this book. This book gets a one star rating because there is ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION of his famous 0.4 second shot in the fifth game of the 2004 NBA playoffs against San Antonio. My friends and I were talking and we came to an understanding that the shot may be the biggest shot ever made in NBA playoff history....EVER!!! How can you not talk about it? I expected a whole chapter on this, to not even hear one sentence, no excuse me, one WORD on that shot was f$*ing flabergasting. It would be like reading a book on Lincoln and there is no mention of slavery, or reading a book on John Lennon and having no mention of the Beatles. Brozek and Simon and Schuster HAVE to know this. Hell, the talk on the Lakers other seasons seemed rushed at best. Maybe I should have read the sub title better where it says, Life, Lessons, and Basketball. What I wanted was a book that had a subtitle that read Life, Lakers and an 0.4 shot.
I only recommend this to the most die-hard Laker or Derek Fisher fan. There are better books on the Lakers out there.
However, I am a Laker fan. I picked this book up because I'm a Laker fan, not because I believe Fisher and Gary Brozek (cool last name though) are exceptional writers. I wanted to hear about what is was like for Fisher to play on all those great Laker teams, and what it was like for Fisher to go through a life-changing moment in Utah to take care of his kid who had retina cancer. I believe Fisher is an EXCEPTIONAL man for taking care of his daughter, Tatum. But that is not why I picked up this book. This book gets a one star rating because there is ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION of his famous 0.4 second shot in the fifth game of the 2004 NBA playoffs against San Antonio. My friends and I were talking and we came to an understanding that the shot may be the biggest shot ever made in NBA playoff history....EVER!!! How can you not talk about it? I expected a whole chapter on this, to not even hear one sentence, no excuse me, one WORD on that shot was f$*ing flabergasting. It would be like reading a book on Lincoln and there is no mention of slavery, or reading a book on John Lennon and having no mention of the Beatles. Brozek and Simon and Schuster HAVE to know this. Hell, the talk on the Lakers other seasons seemed rushed at best. Maybe I should have read the sub title better where it says, Life, Lessons, and Basketball. What I wanted was a book that had a subtitle that read Life, Lakers and an 0.4 shot.
I only recommend this to the most die-hard Laker or Derek Fisher fan. There are better books on the Lakers out there.
January 18, 2010
Derek Fisher is a great person a good basketball player and certainly a role model for men. This book def allows the reader to realize that but is not especially interesting. The format is tough to figure out and it is not always chronological which can be somewhat confusing at times. Still worth the read.
May 10, 2013
This book is about Derek Fisher and his life through the NBA and how he had to move and do everything for his daughter because she had cancer. He teaches a lot of lessons and how to be a great man in life.
There is no movie to this book but i would recommend this book to anyone who loves sports and who likes to read very inspiring and emotional books, I enjoyed it very much.
There is no movie to this book but i would recommend this book to anyone who loves sports and who likes to read very inspiring and emotional books, I enjoyed it very much.
February 1, 2010
This book was ok.
It took me a while to get through it. Nothing terribly exciting.
What was surprising to learn was that Derek barely said anything about Kobe. Even after playing with him all these years. But said great things about Shaq.
It took me a while to get through it. Nothing terribly exciting.
What was surprising to learn was that Derek barely said anything about Kobe. Even after playing with him all these years. But said great things about Shaq.
April 11, 2013
This was a good book for basketball players on the rise who are trying to get scholarships and hopefully go to the NBA. This is a basic review of how NBA players life is lived and their daily challenges. This shows how they overcome their daily challenges.
October 18, 2013
I thought that this book was good. I thought it was smart to go to Tatum's procedure. When he hit the three I felt that he was playing for Tatum. I'm glad her procedure went good. It was nice of Derek to take off basketball. He wants family before basketball which is really nice for his family.
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August 24, 2011im just excited to read..........NOT give a shout out to saint bazils bbal james terrel is a sexy beast!haha
Want to read
January 8, 2011this is the guy on my profile thats shooting the 3 pointer he has the 2nd most 3pointers made in a career and hasnt retired yet and hes my cousin
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August 2, 2011Inspiring book, even though I am not a Laker fan!
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September 2, 2016Date Purchased: January 29, 2012
Place: Booksale Shoppesville
Price: P130
Place: Booksale Shoppesville
Price: P130
March 15, 2017
Albeit there are very nice anecdotal examples of DF's character, it falls short of captivating me with solid lessons that I can share with young people. Heartwarming in places...
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews