"We all thought Derek Fisher was with us" - Michael Jordan's ex-teammate Etan Thomas accuses former NBPA president of flipping during CBA negotiations

Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan's ex-teammate Etan Thomas accuses Derek Fisher of flipping on players during CBA negotiations (Credits: Imagn and Getty)

Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate, Etan Thomas, has drawn a comparison between Caitlin Clark and former NBPA president Derek Fisher. The NBA went through a 161-day lockout in 2011 as the players’ association and the league failed to reach an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

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Players accused Fisher, then the NBPA’s president, of betraying his peers and working privately with league Commissioner David Stern. On Wednesday, Etan Thomas wrote a message on Facebook, calling him out for the same.

“We all thought Derek Fisher was with us until we received multiple confirmations that he wasn't,” Thomas wrote. “And here's the kicker that we didn't explain on the show, David Stern admitted it as well. He didn't deny anything.”
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Thomas continued saying that a similar situation could unfold with Caitlin Clark and the WNBA, given her position in the league.

“I've seen this script before. They started early with pitting the entire WNBA against Caitlin Clark. Repeating that everyone is jealous of her, that they're trying to hurt her, that they are jealous of her success,” he said.
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Thomas also appreciated the Indiana Fever star for standing with her peers during the All-Star game as Team Clark and Team Collier warmed up for the main event, wearing shirts that read, “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”


“Always been weird about Caitlin Clark”: Fans slam Etan Thomas' team for likening Caitlin Clark to Derek Fisher

Caitlin Clark fans did not appreciate Etan Thomas after he compared the Fever star to Derek Fisher. Reddit users criticized Thomas’ suggestion that Clark could go against her peers and work with the WNBA for personal gain

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Fans called him out on the platform, criticizing his take and suggesting that he’s always had a skewed opinion on Clark.

“Etan Thomas has always been weird about Caitlin Clark. There’s no reason or sign to think she’s about to backstab the players,” one fan said.
“The guy has written some of the worst opinion pieces on the W ever. Has a weird obsession with Clark for some reason,” another fan said.
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"Lol ridiculous conspiracy theory. Attention seeking never-weres. Get that garbage outta here," said another fan.
“People are paying attention to Etan Thomas in 2025. He’s been irrelevant since his 3rd year in the NBA,” a fan wrote.
“The last two paragraphs are just too laughable to be even called "conspiracy theories,” said another fan.

While Thomas and others have accused Fisher of working privately with Stern, those claims were never confirmed.

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Edited by Sameer Khan
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