duncan228
06-10-2008, 01:26 PM
http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2008/06/10/media-friendly-derek-fisher-wins-magic-johnson-award/
Media-friendly Derek Fisher wins Magic Johnson Award
KEVIN DING
Derek Fisher has won the Magic Johnson Award for this season, beating out Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons, Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs, Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers and Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. The award honors on-court performance combined with outstanding cooperation with the media — in Johnson’s tradition.
Fisher gave probably the best quote of anyone after the Lakers’ Game 2 loss in Boston, by the way. As he was leaving the arena, he vowed the Lakers would be back in Boston in about a week.
Fish is consistently great at putting big issues in context when speaking with reporters. Back when they had the All-Interview team, I used to vote for Fisher and Rick Fox every year and lament how Shaquille O’Neal would wind up voted onto the team because of how witty with the masses he was at the NBA Finals media microphone. The rest of the season, O’Neal would only talk when he felt like it.
There are a lot of good talkers on the current Lakers, with Fisher certainly the most analytical and probably Lamar Odom the most accessible. Before Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Boston, Odom was indulging interview requests in the locker room from reporters from China to Rhode Island (remember, he played at the University of Rhode Island), even though the look in his eyes was that he didn’t really want the distraction. Sometimes he’s too willing to please others instead of looking out for himself.
Also deserving some media recognition this season: Kobe Bryant (mostly far better access than in previous years for the general media populace), Pau Gasol (definite commitment to both Spanish and American reporters) and Luke Walton (right there with Odom in access, though it should be noted for comparison that Walton very nicely before Game 2 in Boston did a quick stand-up on camera with some obscure organization and then put off the request for more chit-chat till postgame).
Media-friendly Derek Fisher wins Magic Johnson Award
KEVIN DING
Derek Fisher has won the Magic Johnson Award for this season, beating out Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons, Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs, Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers and Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. The award honors on-court performance combined with outstanding cooperation with the media — in Johnson’s tradition.
Fisher gave probably the best quote of anyone after the Lakers’ Game 2 loss in Boston, by the way. As he was leaving the arena, he vowed the Lakers would be back in Boston in about a week.
Fish is consistently great at putting big issues in context when speaking with reporters. Back when they had the All-Interview team, I used to vote for Fisher and Rick Fox every year and lament how Shaquille O’Neal would wind up voted onto the team because of how witty with the masses he was at the NBA Finals media microphone. The rest of the season, O’Neal would only talk when he felt like it.
There are a lot of good talkers on the current Lakers, with Fisher certainly the most analytical and probably Lamar Odom the most accessible. Before Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Boston, Odom was indulging interview requests in the locker room from reporters from China to Rhode Island (remember, he played at the University of Rhode Island), even though the look in his eyes was that he didn’t really want the distraction. Sometimes he’s too willing to please others instead of looking out for himself.
Also deserving some media recognition this season: Kobe Bryant (mostly far better access than in previous years for the general media populace), Pau Gasol (definite commitment to both Spanish and American reporters) and Luke Walton (right there with Odom in access, though it should be noted for comparison that Walton very nicely before Game 2 in Boston did a quick stand-up on camera with some obscure organization and then put off the request for more chit-chat till postgame).