Jordi Fernandez, the Kings’ assistant coach, has been named a finalist for the Nets’ head coaching position.
As the NBA regular season of 2023–24 draws to a close, interest in head coaching positions is growing, with Sacramento native Jordi Fernandez being linked to one more.
The assistant coach of the Sacramento Kings was listed as one of the finalists for the Brooklyn Nets head coach position in a report by Sham Charania of The Athletic. According to sources, Charania also named Phoenix Suns assistant Kevin Young and former Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer as finalists for the position. In addition, Joe Tsai, the owner of the Nets, will meet with each of the three candidates in person. Soon after, the team will announce the selection of its new head coach.
The news broke first on Saturday, according to The Athletic, and was later confirmed by local media in Brooklyn and Sacramento.
For a considerable amount of time, Jordi Fernandez, 41, has been highly sought after in league circles. Last summer, the Spaniard was linked to head coaching positions with the Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, and Toronto Raptors. A year later, Fernandez is becoming more and more relevant in conversations. Another team interested in hiring them is the Charlotte Hornets, who will speak with them in an interview following the regular season.
As per Charania’s report, “Fernandez and [Kevin] Young are regarded as two of the most talented assistant coaches in the NBA and have both been serious candidates as part of previous head coaching searches.”
In addition, Jordi Fernandez led Canada’s men’s basketball team to qualification for this year’s Summer Olympics in 2024. With a number of All-NBA players and other highly regarded players on the team, Fernandez’s group should be very impressive this summer.
Working for six years in Denver under former Kings coach Michael Malone, he has also had some success domestically. Before the 2022–2023 season, he became a member of Mike Brown’s staff, ushering in a new era of Kings basketball. In that time, the Sacramento Kings have gone 93-70. Last season, they ended a 17-year playoff drought.
