In the midst of an exhaustive search that has spanned a month, Jordi Fernández has emerged as the leading option to become the next coach of the Brooklyn Nets, according to sources close to ESPN.
At 41, Fernandez has been considered a fast-rising candidate over the past two years and is poised to take the Nets’ head coaching job, sources said.
Fernández will take the reins of a Nets franchise that concluded a season with a 32-50 record under interim coach Kevin Ollie, becoming its fifth coach since 2020.
Brooklyn is in the midst of a makeover in the post-Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving era and is hiring Fernandez with the goal of revitalizing a roster that includes names like Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton, Cameron Johnson and Noah Clowney.
Nets general manager Sean Marks has held meetings with dozens of candidates in recent weeks, and Fernandez has moved to the point of recently meeting with owner Joe Tsai, according to sources.
Despite his new appointment, Fernández will continue to serve as coach of the Sacramento Kings for the remainder of the season, sources confirmed. Sacramento will face the Warriors on Tuesday in the play-in game of the 9-10 Western Conference tournament.
Jordi Fernández played a major role in the resurgence of Mike Brown, awarded 2023 NBA Coach of the Year, while working with the Kings. In addition, he has been building his candidacy as a head coach during his stays in Denver, where he was under Michael Malone for six seasons, and with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
His work coaching Canada’s national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where he medaled, has caught the attention of league executives, who consider him one of the best young assistants in the NBA.
Originally from Barcelona, Spain, Fernández participated in interviews with teams such as Toronto, Phoenix and Milwaukee last year. Previously, he has coached in national team programs in Spain and Nigeria.
2024-04-16 06:46:27
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