Derek Fisher is one of the latest to speak out in support of LeBron James and his upcoming tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers. Addressing the critics, Fisher simply said the team should be grateful to have a player who arrives with a championship mindset.
“You’re not ring chasing when you’re the guy that creates rings,” Fisher said on Derek and Decker on 97.1 The Fan. His comment clearly echoed Shaquille O’Neal’s recent support for James before LeBron announced he was joining the 76ers on a two-year deal.
While James hasn’t faced overwhelming backlash, despite taking a significant pay cut, figures like Magic Johnson are still eager to see what he can accomplish alongside Joel Embiid in Philadelphia.
Fisher compares James to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Fisher even compared LeBron’s career moves to those of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won six NBA titles across two different franchises. James has also won titles with multiple teams, securing four rings across three franchises: Miami, Cleveland, and Los Angeles.
Derek Fisher on LeBron to the 76ers:
— Witness King James (@WITNESSKJ) July 26, 2026
“You’re not ring chasing when you’re the guy that creates the rings!” 😮💨
(via @TheFanLA) pic.twitter.com/ZndJwGlVsY
“Go back in NBA sports history… Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He didn’t chase rings. Where he went, rings followed,” Fisher said of Abdul-Jabbar, who earned his six titles with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers during a 20-season career from 1969 to 1989.
Fisher won all his rings with one franchise
Although Fisher is defending James, it is worth noting that Fisher won all five of his NBA championships with a single franchise: the Lakers. While he played for other teams like Utah, Dallas, and Golden State, his championship success came exclusively in Los Angeles.
