One of the most beloved Los Angeles Lakers role players ever has come to LeBron James’ defense.
Lakers icon Derek Fisher on Sunday weighed in on James’ stunning move to the Philadelphia 76ers. Fisher appeared on 97.1 The Fan and was asked about the “ring chasing” that James has supposedly done throughout his career, with the move to the Sixers seen by some as just the latest version of that.
Fisher saw it differently.
“You’re not ring chasing when you’re the guy that creates the rings,” Fisher said on the radio program.
“Go back in NBA sports history. It’s not about what team the guy is on. It’s about where he is — not the city or the team.”
Derek Fisher shares his thoughts on the idea of LeBron ring chasing 👀 pic.twitter.com/GeF3WYzrZJ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 27, 2026
Fisher added that Laker legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar “didn’t chase rings.” The championships instead followed him to every destination, whether it was at UCLA, Milwaukee, or Los Angeles. He felt James’ career unfolded in a similar fashion.
James is indeed joining a stacked 76ers team that could have been a dark horse contender without him. But if the team ultimately wins a championship, James figures to still play a huge role in making such an outcome a reality.
The 41-year-old still averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists across 60 games for the Lakers last season. He’s far from an over-the-hill veteran looking to sit at the end of the bench on a title favorite.
Only a couple of destinations would have probably irked the average fan had James signed there, with one of them outright snubbing LeBron from the beginning.
