Derek Fisher really regrets with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook’s Thunder

Derek Fisher joined the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012, a team loaded with potential with future MVPs Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. With such a talented roster, expectations for the championship were sky high. Despite arriving as a five-time champion, Fisher later expressed regret and wished he had approached his time at Oklahoma differently.

During an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Derek Fisher reflected on his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder and shares insight about his experiences with former teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

“There was a generation gap, like guys in their early 20s compared to guys in their early 30s and mid-30s, which is where I’m pretty much from. But when it really went the other way back, this is more of an experience for me that I regret. I wish I had said more,” Fisher said.

Derek Fisher wishes he communicated more with the young OKC Thunder

Fisher recalled the Thunder’s trip to the NBA Finals, where they eventually fell short against the formidable Miami Heat, led by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

“After leaving the arena, I came back to the facility and there weren’t that many guys still going through their normal recovery process, and for me it felt like staying super locked in after winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals,” said he.

Having played alongside one of the NBA’s all-time greats, Kobe Bryant, and won an impressive five championships, Derek Fisher possessed a wealth of experience that could have greatly benefited the Thunder’s young core.

“Like we got the Miami Heat on the ropes Game 2 on our home court, just like we could take control of this series, and I was nervous about upsetting the natural leadership of the locker room at that point, because even though I was a veteran leader coming into , I had only been there for 2 months and it was more important that Kevin Durant and Russell, James and Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Kendrick Perkins, like it was their locker room that I had come to be a part of, so I felt not that I would try to take control of the locker room in a way and try to say no, this is what we should do,” continued Derek Fisher.

Fisher’s regret

After reflecting on his time with the Thunder, Fisher expressed regret, saying, “I wish I would have spoken up a little more and just made sure that as that streak went on certain things happened. I would have asserted a little more leadership to make sure they understood how hard it is to win an NBA championship.”

Fisher was brought in primarily for his veteran championship experience, which made his regret at not asserting a stronger leadership role all the more understandable. In 24 games, Fisher played a limited role, averaging 14 minutes and 4.1 points per game.

As for Durant, his current team, the Phoenix Suns, appears to be dealing with internal drama. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, there has been a significant shakeup involving teammates Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic. Reports suggest both players have been removed from the starting lineup ahead of Monday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, with Mason Plumlee and Ryan Dunn stepping in as their replacements.