5. Derek Fisher
Besides Kobe, perhaps no man has been more beloved by Laker fans over the last 20 years than D-Fish. Fisher was around for the Shaq dynasty, and came back just in time to give it another go around. Fisher was never a stat sheet stuffer like we see in today’s point guards, but the guy had unquestionable heart and competitive spirit.
Also, it helped that the man feared no shot on any stage, and shot the ball with the most complete confidence every time. Just like Artest’s shot against Boston, Fisher stepped into his game-tying three against Orlando in Game 4 knowing that it would be nothing but net (above).
Another great moment for Fisher, was his and-one layup on Kevin Garnett that put the game away to win a huge Game 3 in Boston and go up 2-1 in the series in the 2010 NBA Finals. In that game, Fisher had 16 points, on 6-12 from the field.
Although Fisher never averaged more than 12 points for the Lakers, he is right up there with some of the best to ever play in several categories. He is top ten in Lakers history in games played, minutes played, three pointers made and attempted (second in both), and steals. If it were a list of Lakers based on their whole careers, Fisher would be placed much higher than some others on this list.
Next: 4. Andrew Bynum