Nets’ Sean Marks breaks silence on Jordi Fernandez hire

The Brooklyn Nets officially hired Jordi Fernandez as their next head coach, the team announced in a statement on Monday.

“We’re thrilled to announce Jordi Fernández as Brooklyn’s new head coach,” General Manager Sean Marks said. “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.”

Fernandez joins Brooklyn as the fourth head-coaching hire of Marks’ tenure after he fired Jacque Vaughn at the All-Star break. He reportedly beat out former Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer and Suns assistant Kevin Young for the job. He’ll be tasked with re-vamping a Nets team that severely underwhelmed this season, posting the NBA’s ninth-worst record (32-50).

“I am truly grateful to lead the Nets as head coach and cannot thank [owner] Joe [Tsai], [his wife] Clara [Wu Tsai] and Sean enough for this exciting and humbling opportunity,” Fernández said. “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.”

Fernandez comes to Brooklyn after emerging as one of the NBA’s top assistants under 2022-23 Coach of the Year Mike Brown with the Sacramento Kings. Before Sacramento, the 41-year-old was a player development coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2009 to 2016 and served as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets from 2016 to 2022.

Fernandez has head-coaching experience, leading the Canadian national team to a bronze medal in the FIBA World Cup this summer. That stint reportedly caught the eye of NBA executives.

The 41-year-old comes to the Nets following the team’s first exhaustive coaching search since they hired Kenny Atkinson in 2016. After re-setting the organization by trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at last year’s deadline, Brooklyn missed the playoffs for the first time in five seasons in 2023-24.

With a roster headlined by Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton, the Nets enter an uncertain offseason. Marks has seven tradeable first-round picks to use to upgrade the roster. However, the GM has said he will be patient and measured in the stars he pursues. In the meantime, Brooklyn is confident Fernandez is the right man to steady the ship.

“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,” Nets owner Joe Tsai said. “We look forward to working with Jordi to build a sustainable winning culture in Brooklyn.”