For Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez, Wednesday’s regular-season opener marks a milestone in a long basketball journey. After spending years around basketball clubs in Spain as a teen before moving to the United States and breaking into the NBA, the debut is over 25 years in the making.

The 41-year-old will become the first Spanish-born coach to lead an NBA team. While Fernandez recognizes the significance of the achievement, he understands it’s the first step in another long quest.

“It’s definitely an honor to be one of 30. It’s an honor to represent the basketball that I come from,” the Nets coach said. “I come from Spain, and I grew up in a FIBA environment, and then I came to the NBA working for 15 years. So the journey is really cool. I thought about it a lot… I’m extremely proud and very happy.”

“At the same time, I think the most important thing is you appreciate that, and then you keep going. Because my goal is not just to coach in the NBA. My goal is to sustain it, to build a winning program, to be competitive, to be in the playoffs, to fight for a championship. It’s always like the next step. Because otherwise, if I don’t see the challenge – with all my respect – I will be in my hometown, probably living a great life. So I have to have a reason to live with this crazy schedule and do what we do on a daily basis.”

The Nets are expected to be among the NBA’s worst teams as they angle for a top selection in next June’s draft. However, Fernandez must maintain structure on both ends of the floor as he and his staff attempt to develop several intriguing young players.

Jordi Fernandez’s no-nonsense approach garners respect from Nets

The first-time NBA head coach has responded to that task by adopting a no-nonsense approach early. Following a preseason loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Fernandez called out several players individually for poor efforts. While several Nets veterans said this year’s training camp was the hardest of their careers, they’ve appreciated his stern demeanor.

“I mean, European coaches are always crazy,” Dennis Schroder said. “I like that though. That’s how I grew up. I went to Spanish school a little bit, I had a couple of coaches [from there] as well. I got a national team coach now who’s Spanish. I know what they like to do. And European coaches are a little bit crazy. I’m crazy too, so it matches.”
Fernandez spent years as an assistant under Michael Malone with the Denver Nuggets and Mike Brown with the Sacramento Kings. Three-time All-Star Ben Simmons has seen similarities to one of his former head coaches with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I think he’s pretty similar to Brett Brown,” Simmons said. “I love the way he’s been coaching so far. He holds everybody accountable. He holds himself and everyone on the coaching staff to the same standards, and that’s what you need. I think guys respect him, and they’re willing to buy into him and learn from him.”
General manager Sean Marks has said he will use this season to determine which Nets will be a part of the team moving forward in their rebuild. Fernandez and his nine-man coaching staff will aid in that process as they lay the foundation for the next era of Brooklyn basketball.