The Brooklyn Nets have hired Jordi Fernandez as their new head coach after missing the NBA Playoffs for the first time in six years.
The Nets finished 2023-24 with a 32-50 record, six games behind the Atlanta Hawks, who took the final Play-In spot in the Eastern Conference.
They fired Jacque Vaughn during February’s All-Star break while at 21-33 for the season, with Kevin Ollie stepping up to oversee the remainder of the campaign as interim head coach.
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Following a thorough search for a permanent replacement, Fernandez – who currently coaches Canada’s national team and spent the past two seasons as associate head coach with the Sacramento Kings – will take charge for next term.
General manager Sean Marks said in a statement: “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.”
Jordi Fernández’s Journey to Nets Head Coach
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— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 22, 2024
The Nets reached the postseason in five successive campaigns between 2018-19 and 2022-23, though they only made it beyond the first round on one occasion, losing 4-3 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2020-21.
Fernandez, who also served as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets between 2016 and 2022, told the NBA website: “I am truly grateful to lead the Nets as head coach.
“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 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.”
