Brooklyn Nets GM explains decision to hire Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez as head coach
It was only a matter of time before Jordi Fernandez became a head coach in the NBA. Now, that time has come.
The Brooklyn Nets on Monday officially announced the hiring of Fernandez, who spent the past two seasons as Mike Brown’s lead assistant with the Sacramento Kings.
Fernandez takes over for Kevin Ollie, who was named interim coach when Jacque Vaughn was fired in February. Fernandez will lead a team that finished 32-50 this season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
“I am eager to get to work with this talented group of players and collectively drive our team forward,” Fernandez said in a news release. “Together, we will be fully committed to building something special for Nets fans and the borough to be proud of for years to come.”
Fernandez was identified as one of three finalists for the job in Brooklyn. The others were former Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer and Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young.
Nets general manager Sean Marks said Fernandez emerged as the clear choice during the hiring process.
“We’re thrilled to announce Jordi Fernandez as Brooklyn’s new head coach,” Marks said. “As we progressed through an extensive search over the past six weeks, it became increasingly clear that Jordi is the best coach to lead our team forward.”
Nets owner Joe Tsai agreed.
“We are excited to welcome Jordi Fernandez and his family to the Nets big family,” Tsai said. “Jordi’s character as a leader and his emphasis on structure, process and habits will instill a Nets identity that our fans will want to root for. We look forward to working with Jordi to build a sustainable winning culture in Brooklyn.”
Fernandez, 41, is a native of Barcelona, Spain. He spent six years on Michael Malone’s staff with the Denver Nuggets before the Kings hired him as their associate head coach in 2022. Fernandez was part of a dramatic turnaround as the Kings won 48 games to secure the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference last season, ending the longest playoff drought in NBA history after 16 consecutive losing seasons.
Fernandez was head coach of the G League’s Canton Charge from 2014-16. He previously worked as a member of Brown’s staff as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In October, Fernandez was identified as the NBA’s best assistant coach in an annual survey of the league’s top executives. Fernandez earned that distinction by a wide margin with 31% of the vote.
In June, Fernandez was chosen to replace Nick Nurse as Team Canada’s head coach. Fernandez led Team Canada to a win over Team USA in the bronze medal game at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in September.
“Jordi brings a diverse set of experiences and basketball knowledge gained over the course of a coaching career that has taken him around the world,” Marks said. “Each step of the way, Jordi has consistently demonstrated the ability to implement strong processes and creative systems designed to optimize each team’s specific roster. He’s proven the ability to build genuine relationships and garner the respect of players of all levels, and we’re confident that our players will benefit greatly from his expertise.”
