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Derek Fisher’s wife was tossed from a high school basketball game in the state of California on Monday night. Video of a tense exchange involving her, her husband, and an administrator from the opposing school has surfaced on social media.
The clip shows play being stopped as members of the Notre Dame and Crespi coaching staffs argue. Gloria Govan is seen shouting from the stands before being asked to leave.
Derek Fisher played 18 seasons in the NBA, the majority of which were spent with the Lakers. He won five championships in LA.
In 2023, he began coaching at Crespi. The Celts are a CIF Southern Section D1 member playing in Encino, California.
On Monday, they made the short trip to Sherman Oaks to face Mission League rival Notre Dame. The two schools are separated by five miles. Both are regarded as Top 15 programs in the state.
Crespi entered with a chance to end the Knights’ five-game winning streak and get even in the league standings. They’d fall just short.
Crespi lost a California high school basketball thriller.
The game was highly competitive. The two sides traded leads on multiple occasions throughout the contest.
Notre Dame led 24-19 at the end of the first quarter. They’d hold that five-point advantage into halftime before thwarting a comeback effort.
Crespi went on a third quarter run to turn the deficit into a three-point lead. Unfortunately, they’d be unable to hang on. Notre Dame eventually reclaimed its advantage to win 82-78.
Bowman sets up Zion Lanier. Three. Then Isaiah Barnes three. pic.twitter.com/N9Q0Q8X4AF
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) February 3, 2026
Zion Lanier gave the Knights a 77-70 lead late. Crespi would get a bit closer but could not dig out of the hole.
The loss dropped the Celts to 3-4 in league play. Notre Dame improved to 5-2 to slide into second place.
The matchup between a pair of future playoff contenders did not disappoint. Fireworks were not only seen in the final moments of play, however. First half drama kept Gloria Govan from catching the end of the game.
Derek Fisher’s wife was not happy.
With 6:26 left in second quarter, the officials halted the Crespi-Notre Dame game to give warnings to both coaches to stay in the coaches’ box. Then Derek Fisher’s wife was ordered out of the gym. 29-24 Notre Dame.
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) February 3, 2026
In the second quarter of play, the game was stopped to sort out an on-court argument. Both Fisher and Notre Dame coach Matt Sargeant received warnings for leaving their coaching boxes.
Govan then mocked the rival coach from the stands. “Sargeant, that Ozempic got your brain fogged up,” she is heard saying.
A Notre Dame athletics administrator then approached Fisher and asked that Govan be escorted from the gym.
Absolutely fascinating. Derek Fisher and Notre Dame’s coach started getting into it in the middle of the game. And a woman (Fisher’s wife?) in the stands behind the bench started getting upset and they just ejected her from the gym pic.twitter.com/LurJazIcqd
— BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) February 3, 2026
Govan has two sons on the Crespi team from her first marriage. Their father, Matt Barnes, has also previously been the subject of high school basketball controversy.
Derek Fisher did not hold onto animosity following the second quarter disagreement. He and Sargeant were seen burying the hatchet by game’s end.
Both shook hands and moved on after the rivalry contest.
The weirdest part was that the two coaches were exchanging words mid game like that. Based on situation, it was really hard to fathom what triggered it, but they talked for a few mins after the game, smiled, then shook hands, as did AD pic.twitter.com/CVUSzzSwtu
— BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) February 3, 2026
The loss ends Crespi’s regular season.