OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State Warriors guard Derek Fisher donated $700,000 to Arkansas-Little Rock on Monday night, and a new auxiliary gym on the campus of his alma mater will carry his last name.
Fisher presented a giant check to the school's athletic director, Chris Peterson, before the Warriors hosted the Los Angeles Lakers, Fisher's former team.
Most of the money will go to establishing and funding the "Fisher Fellows" program, which will provide guidance to children from nearby Southwest Middle School to better prepare them for high school with the goal of going to college. The students will be paired with student-athletes from Arkansas-Little Rock to learn concepts of life and academics, as well as organizational, social and athletic skills.
A portion of the donation will go toward the construction of an auxiliary gym, which will be called the Fisher Gym. It will host the Fisher Fellows program.
"I'm extremely fortunate to be in a position where I can provide my assistance to something that has had a huge impact on my life and career," Fisher said. "I hope this mentoring program will give some of the students in Little Rock the chance to reach their potential and achieve their dreams, much like I had the opportunity to do so as a youngster."
