Back in the day, guard Derek Fisher was a key role player for the dynastic Los Angeles Lakers. He teamed with Kobe Bryant in the backcourt during two separate stints with them, and his timely 3-point shooting, leadership and steady hand were a big part of the Lakers’ five NBA championships from 2000 to 2010.
Today, after coaching stints with the New York Knicks and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, Fisher is an analyst for Lakers games on Los Angeles-based Spectrum SportsNet. In addition, he is the head coach of Crespi Carmelite High School in the San Fernando Valley.
But away from basketball, Fisher has also been busy. He and his wife Gloria Govan, an actress and former reality TV star, have gotten involved in the cannabis industry, first with RLNTLSS Brands and now as the General Partner of Alta II, which lends capital to companies within the cannabis space.
An athlete or celebrity getting involved in the sale or production of cannabis would’ve been very controversial just a decade ago. But the drug is now legal for recreational use in 23 states and at least allowed for medicinal use in most states, as attitudes regarding it have greatly evolved.
In an exclusive interview with Justin Quinn of USA Today, Fisher and Govan talked about their involvement in this burgeoning industry, as well as some basketball-related topics.