There is a new era starting in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Nets have named Jordi Fernández as the 24th head coach in the franchise’s NBA history. According to team policy, terms of the deal were not made public.
“We’re thrilled to announce Jordi Fernández as Brooklyn’s new head coach,” said General Manager Sean Marks. “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. 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. 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. We look forward to Jordi, Kelsey and their children joining the Nets family and calling Brooklyn home.”
The Nets finished 32-50 and fired Jacque Vaughn at the All-Star break. Kevin Ollie finished out the season as the interim coach.
Fernández has paid his dues in NBA and international competition.
Fernández joins the Nets after spending the last two seasons (2022-24) as associate head coach of the Sacramento Kings alongside Mike Brown.
Last season, he helped lead the Kings to the 2023 Pacific Division crown and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference in Sacramento’s first postseason appearance since back in the 2005-06 campaign.
The Badalona, Spain, native also currently serves as the head coach of Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, a position he has held since June 2023. Last summer, he guided Canada featuring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which was a ground-breaking moment, representing Canada’s first-ever medal in the event. Under Fernández’s leadership, Canada posted an overall record of 6-2, including a win over Team USA for third place.
Embed from Getty Images“We are excited to welcome Jordi Fernández and his family to the Nets big family. 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,” said Nets Governor Joe Tsai. “We look forward to working with Jordi to build a sustainable winning culture in Brooklyn.”
Prior to joining the Kings, Fernández spent six seasons (2016-22) as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets were a contender making four straight playoff appearances (2019-22) during Fernández’s time in Denver, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2020.
He previously served two seasons (2014-16) as head coach of the Canton Charge in the NBA G League after spending four seasons (2009-13) as a player development coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers and one season (2013-14) as Canton’s lead assistant coach. While at the helm in Canton, Fernández led the Charge to a 62-38 regular season record and back-to-back appearances in the NBA G League Eastern Conference Finals.
“I am truly grateful to lead the Nets as head coach and cannot thank Joe, Clara and Sean enough for this exciting and humbling opportunity,” said Fernández. “My family and I are thrilled to join such an incredible organization and become part of the vibrant Brooklyn community. I am eager to get to work with this talented group of players and collectively drive our team forward. Together, we will be fully committed to building something special for Nets fans and the borough to be proud of for years to come.”
Fernández has also held a number of other coaching roles on the world stage, including serving as the lead assistant for the Nigerian National Team at the 2020 Olympics and the Spanish National Team at both EuroBasket 2017 and the 2013 FIBA Under19 World Championships in Prague. He has also spent time coaching for Club Basquet L’Hospitalet in Spain and as a player development coach with Impact Basketball in Las Vegas.
Now he takes over a Nets team that gave Vaughn the axe just a year after awarding him a contract extension. They went 11-17 under Ollie, focusing on their young players down the stretch after falling out of playoff contention.
