Manila, Philippines - Walang NBA player ang gustong makaranas ng lockout.
Sinabi kahapon ni Derek Fisher ng Los Angeles Lakers, ang pangulo ng NBA Player’s Association, na ang gusto lamang nila ay maglaro at bigyan ng magandang laban ang mga basketball fans.
Subalit may trabaho rin silang dapat gampanan sa kanilang hanay.
“For us basketball players, we just want to play and make our fans happy and continue the progress the league is enjoying in the last two seasons,”sabi ni Fisher, ang pinakamatandang NBA player na kasama sa NBA selection sa Smart All-Star Weekend. “But as much as we want to just play, we players also have to do our responsibility.”
Nauwi sa lockout ang darating na NBA season nang mabigo ang grupo ng mga NBA players at NBA team owners na maplantsa ang isang collective bargaining agreement.
Sa kabila ng pagkakaroon ng lockout, kumpiyansa si Fisher na mareresolbahan rin ito ng NBA Players Association at ng mga NBA team owners.
“We’ve got to negotiate what is a fair deal for us players as well as for the future NBA players,” sabi ng 36-anyos na si Fisher, kinuha ng Lakers bilang 24th overall noong 1996 NBA Draft kasabay si five-time champion Kobe Bryant.
Si Bryant ay kinukuha na rin ng Turkish club na Besiktas para maglaro sa kanilang liga sa Turkey habang nananatili ang NBA lockout.
Bukod sa Lakers, naglaro rin si Fisher sa Golden State Warriors at Utah Jazz.