Derek Fisher and Union Battle Heating Up
Derek Fisher is fighting back after recent reports that he rejected the NBA players' association's executive committee recommendation that he resign as president of the players union.
Soon after the NBPA's Friday statement explaining the executive committee's 8-0 vote over whether they had lost confidence in Fisher's ability to lead, Fisher replied by stating that he would not step down and then asked union members to raise questions regarding the union's finances.
"I, along with many others, are extremely disappointed with the Executive Committee," Fisher said in a statement. "Their demand for my resignation and their need to protect the NBPA management and their own best interests instead of protecting the players we were elected to serve is unfortunate."
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Fisher has been the union's president since 2006 and he recently worked out the details of the new collective bargaining agreement this last offseason.
But not everyone is singing Fisher's praises. Union executive director Billy Hunter is one of the people who are leading the charge to get Fisher out of the players association.
"The Executive Committee based its decision on numerous instances over the past six months, where Fisher engaged in conduct detrimental to the union, including acting in contravention of the players' best interests, during collective bargaining, declining to follow the NBPA Constitution, and failing to uphold the duties of the Union President," the statement said.
Fisher has stated that any player can request an independent review of the union's business practices and finances and urged union members to dig to the bottom for the truth.
"The allegations that are now being directed at me are defamatory," Fisher said.
"But I urge our members to order an independent review beginning immediately and that will be proven along with finding out definitively if there are any issues with the NBPA's business practices and finances," he said.
SEE VIDEO OF DEREK FISHER FROM NOVEMBER WHEN REPRESENTING THE PLAYER'S UNION
