Jordi Fernández continues to get rave reviews, inside and outside the Nets organization

Ziaire Williams: “I knew he was different from the first day.”

Head Coach Jordi Fernández has some built-in advantages in his rookie year.

For one, the Brooklyn Nets telegraphed a tank as boldly as they could this past offseason — though the front office has acted more meekly since. Still, Fernández’s performance would not be judged by wins and losses. The Nets have blown six 17-point leads this season, tied for most in the league, and that hasn’t caused any consternation.

Fernández also inherited a talent-deficient roster full of guys clinging to NBA careers. Players with two-way contracts see major minutes, as do players searching for a second NBA contract. Brooklyn’s head coach may prove to be a great motivator, but this team is ripe to give it their all.

And still, Jordi Fernández has undoubtedly shined in year one, despite a 22-43 record that must get worse if the Nets want to maximize their NBA Draft Lottery odds.

Brooklyn has won plenty of games they had no business even being in, thanks to abundant effort, detailed game-plans, or both. Monday night vs. the Los Angeles Lakers was a prime example; the Nets hounded Luka Dončić all night long, pressuring him and Austin Reaves near half court while dominating the glass. A couple games earlier, they frustrated Steph Curry into an early technical foul near the end of a brutally physical first quarter.

Simply put, the Nets are one annoying matchup, regardless of any talent gap.

“We couldn’t even pass to each other,” said Laker Head Coach JJ Redick after the game. “We couldn’t enter our offense, running ball screens literally at half court. Yeah, that’s going to end up in a turnover. I don’t know what we’re doing.”

Redick is the only opposing head coach to note Brooklyn’s disruptiveness. Before a February game at Barclays Center, ex-Nets Head Coach and current Cleveland leader Kenny Atkinson heaped praise on Fernández’s squad:

“With Jordi, I feel like I’m watching a FIBA team, you know? And that’s a real compliment. You know, it’s physicality and extreme physicality, and I think they’re fouling a lot, which is fine. They made a commitment. They have an identity. They’re physical … So, really a ton of credit to Jordi and the players over in that locker room. Really, really impressive. What, nine out of ten they’ve won? That’s phenomenal. Just just real credit to him.”

Atkinson’s math was slightly off — the Nets had won six of seven at the time — but his point stood: When the Nets win, it’s because they look like a well-coached team.

D’Angelo Russell agrees. In his exclusive interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on Monday, Russell glowed about his current situation. The free-agent-to-be even closed the interview by saying “I’d love to be back.”

Judging by his earlier comments, it’s easy to see why: “I told Jordi today for him to trust me and allow me to be a basketball player and not just a shot maker. If my shots aren’t falling, he still trusts me to be out there to make plays. I respect that more than anything. I’ve been kind of categorized as a guy who only makes shots, but being a basketball player is my strength. For him to trust me so soon since I’ve been here, I’m nothing but appreciative.”

He even compared Fernández to the last truly beloved coach of the Brooklyn Nets, Atkinson: “They’re both workers. I think that’s where their success comes from. I’ve always been a fan of anything that starts from the top and trickles down. It’s easier to send that message. We see him every day coming in here and working. We see countless amount of hours watching film and things like that. I think that’s where it starts.”

With 17 games left, Brooklyn’s main focus is sweating out draft position. Securing the fifth-best odds doesn’t promise Cooper Flagg much more than the seventh-best odds do, but it’s time to swing for them anyway.

Still, the Nets are afforded that worry because their principal concern heading into 2024-2025 appears settled. Jordi Fernández can really coach. It’s not just the aggressive, complex defenses he has thrown at unique superstars like Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, nor glimpses of beautiful organized offense…

…but an overall team spirit.

Maybe that spirit will be harder to maintain with a more talented team (Atkinson is batting .500 in that regard), but that’s a worry for tomorrow. In the meantime, it’s tough not to enjoy this Ziaire Williams quote from C.J. Holmes’ NY Daily News feature on the 23-year-old.

“I knew he was different from the first day. He told everyone, ‘I don’t give a f*** who you are, what you do, what you’ve done, we’re clearing this s*** out. We want good players, good role models, good chemistry guys, guys who are going to work hard and pick up full … It’s great to know you have a real one behind you.”

Now in March, nearly one year after the Fernández hire, it’s clear his mantra is no cliché. The 42-year-old Catalonian has insisted his team and players get “one percent better” each day, and they have. Williams’ fourth season has been his best. Tyrese Martin, playing productive NBA minutes for the first time at age-25, has been converted from a two-way to a standard contract.

In his sophomore season, Noah Clowney’s future looks brighter now that he’s an accurate but extremely willing 3-point shooter. In his second game back after missing 15 straight, he led Brooklyn with 19 points off the bench in their victory over Los Angeles.

Clowney has surged from 4.4 3PA per 100 possessions in his rookie year to a staggering 12.4 this year, all while making 35.5% of them. On Monday night, he was asked about that shift, and you can bet he pointed the finger toward the coach’s box…

Beyond his x’s and o’s, Fernandez also has gained a reputation as professional when dealing with departures, like that of Dorian Finney-Smith who was on the trade block from Day 1 of the season, ultimately headed to L.A. for D’Lo.

“I knew the situation. I knew there was a chance that I was gonna traded this season,” Finney-Smith told ClutchPoints. “I just appreciate the Nets and the coaching staff and everybody for being professional about it.”

Where the Brooklyn Nets are going, nobody knows. They have plenty of draft assets, cap space, and few long-term contracts.

Wherever it is, though, they have the right man leading the way.

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