‘DWTS’ Eliminates Fan Favorite Derek Fisher During ‘Most Memorable Year’ Week

It was a night of tears — and a perfect score — on “Dancing With the Stars” on Monday night, but that didn’t stop one star from being sent packing. 

Following the “Most Memorable Year” performances on Season 25, two stars found themselves on the chopping block: Nick Lachey and pro partner Peta Murgatroyd and Derek Fisher and Sharna Burgess. 

Sadly, the Los Angeles Lakers standout and his partner Sharna were sent on their way. The pair is the third couple to go home, following “Shark Tank” star Barbara Corcoran and partner Keo Motsepe and Debbie Gibson and Alan Bersten. 

Fisher took the news in stride and told hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews that he’s grateful for the experience and learned a lot about himself. 

“Growth. Growth as a man, growth as a person. Just learning to continue to be a part of something bigger than yourself,” Fisher shared. “I am so happy and so proud to be a part of this, no matter how long it lasted. I am forever changed by it, and I look forward to a bright future.”

Sharna also shared her thoughts on Fisher’s progress. 

 “I’m so incredibly proud of you.”

“I know that your entire career was about internalizing emotion and not showing it out there on the court, but the journey you went on in sharing your emotion and your life with everybody here tonight and through these few weeks on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ is amazing,” she added.

Fisher’s final dance was a jazz dance to “Move On Up,” which he dedicated to his daughter, Tatum, now 11. In a pre-taped package, Fisher reflected on the most significant year of his life — 2007 — when he left the Utah Jazz in order to care for Tatum, then 10 months old, as she battled retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer in the eye. At the time, Fisher walked away from the remainder of his contract with the Jazz and a roughly $20 million payday. 

In his package, Fisher got teary-eyed as he discussed facing the possibility of never seeing his daughter alive again after she went into surgery. 

Tatum survived and ultimately flourished, and Fisher got choked up as he described his daughter as “a miracle.” 

Fisher definitely walked away from “DWTS” on a high note, despite not continuing on to get the mirrorball trophy. 

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