For some reason whenever great NBA players try to become great head coaches it never seems to work as they just can’t seem to make the transition, but throughout the history of the NBA, some of the best head coaches of all-time have been players that have won championships as a player, but in a role player capacity.

Over the years we have seen plenty of NBA players around the league take their shot at being a head coach, here is a list of past and present NBA head coaches:

Byron Scott: won titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, coached New Orleans Hornets

Avery Johnson: won a title with San Antonio Spurs as player, coached Dallas Mavericks

Doc Rivers: one-time All-Star with Atlanta Hawks, coaches Boston Celtics with one NBA title

Jerry Sloan: two-time All-Star with Chicago Bulls, coaches Utah Jazz

Larry Brown: won ABA title with Oakland Oaks, coached Detroit Pistons to NBA title, coaches Charlotte Bobcats

Kurt Rambis: won titles with Los Angeles Lakers, coaches Minnesota Timberwolves

George Karl: four-time All-Star with San Antonio Spurs, coaches Denver Nuggets

Don Nelson: won titles with Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, coaches Golden State Warriors

Paul Westphal: won title with Boston Celtics, coaches Sacramento Kings

Rick Carlisle: won title with Boston Celtics, coaches Indiana Pacers

The defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers have had the benefit of having head coaching from the likes of Pat Riley and Phil Jackson who have won eight NBA titles with the Lakers during their time in Los Angeles. Not only do these hall of fame head coaches titles while patrolling the sidelines, but they also fit the mold I was talking about with an NBA title as a player as well. Pat Riley and Phil Jackson both have titles as a player with the New York Knicks.

With players eventually becoming head coaches and the transition working quite well for some players, NBA franchises seem to embrace former players taking their shot at a head coaching gig and Los Angeles Lakers point guard Derek Fisher might be next in line for a head coaching job in the near future.

Obviously the Zen Master isn’t going to last much longer as the Lakers head coach as his body is rapidly starting to breakdown where traveling with the team is becoming almost unbearable, but the question on who will take over after he officially calls it quits has circulated for quite some time.

The obvious choice before the start of this season was either Kurt Rambis or Brian Shaw as they have both been on the Jackson’s coaching staff for awhile, but Rambis decided to take the job in Minnesota in August of 2009 and will most likely not be jumping ship.

Brian Shaw might get some serious consideration when the job becomes available, but with Derek Fisher’s new found interest in becoming a head coaches when he retires as a player might put him in the running for the job as well.

I believe Derek Fisher will be a very good head coach in the future and should definitely considered it when his playing career is over. With NBA teams firing teams left and right, Fisher will almost certainly get some offers from teams around the league when the time comes.