The Nets’ hiring of Jordi Fernandez as head coach has gone from a given to official, the team announcing the move in a statement Monday.
“We are excited to welcome Jordi Fernandez 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,” Nets owner Joe Tsai said in the statement. “We look forward to working with Jordi to build a sustainable winning culture in Brooklyn.”
Fernandez is the 24th head coach in team history, and the fifth in short order since the franchise fired Kenny Atkinson in 2022.
Since then Brooklyn has gone through Jacque Vaughn (twice), Steve Nash and Kevin Ollie.
The hiring of Fernandez — who was the associate head coach under Mike Brown in Sacramento — is the result of the Nets’ first expansive league-wide search since Atkinson.
The Barcelona, Spain, native beat out former champ and NBA Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer and ex-Suns assistant Kevin Young for the job.
“I am truly grateful to lead the Nets as head coach and cannot thank Joe, Clara [Wu Tsai] and Sean [Marks, GM] enough for this exciting and humbling opportunity,” said Fernandez. “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.”
The 41-year-old Fernandez will be officially introduced Wednesday morning at a press conference.
“We’re thrilled to announce Jordi Fernandez as Brooklyn’s new head coach,” said 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.”