Derek Fisher Puts Family First

Professional athlete can sound something like an oxymoron.  In today’s world of sports, most “professional” athletes are anything but professional.  Many of them act like spoiled little children who throw a fit if they don’t get their way.  Some of them cry about being underappreciated because they were offered $60 million instead of $75 million to play a game that most of us would play for free or at least the league minimum.

I love sports.  I grew up playing basketball, football, baseball, tennis, and golf.  March Madness is my favorite time of year.  I know how much conditioning and hard work it takes to compete in athletics.  I am certainly not insensitive to that fact.  However, I am hard pressed to find a few examples of class act role models within sports today.  What is more frustrating is the fact that kids look up to these athletes.

However, there is hope.  Yesterday I read a story about Derek Fisher, point guard for the Utah Jazz this past season, and his decision to leave the team to be with his family while his daughter underwent cancer treatment.  Fisher shows us that good role models do exist in the world of professional sports.  He shows us all what it means to put your family before money and your career.  Read about Derek’s decision and pray for Derek’s little girl and his family as they deal with this situation.