Sacramento Kings associate head coach accepts another coaching job
Like many other teams, the Sacramento Kings have had lots of success due to their star-studded on-court presence and excellent leadership by head coach Mike Brown. However, what often goes overlooked in success stories like this are the roles played by less-known factors – in this case, associate head coach Jordi Fernandez.
Jordi Fernandez has been with the team since May 2022, creating a new coaching core along with the hiring of Mike Brown. Before that, he spent six seasons as an assistant for the Denver Nuggets.
After one year with the Kings, Fernandez has accepted an additional job as the head coach of the Canadian national basketball team, replacing 76ers coach Nick Nurse. This means that his attention this summer will be shifted toward Canada and the upcoming FIBA World Cup, as well as qualifying for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
Fernandez will be in charge of a seriously talented team, with players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray (who Fernandez has ties to due to his time with the Denver Nuggets), Andrew Wiggins, and upcoming young star Shaedon Sharpe. Of course, it is possible not all players will choose to play during the World Cup, but regardless, this will give Fernandez an opportunity to be completely in charge of a team with some stars.
Fernandez also worked with the Spanish and Nigerian national teams in the past, so he has one foot in the door to running a country’s team already.
Fernandez was previously linked to head coaching jobs after a standout year with the Kings. He interviewed with the Raptors and the Suns for the job but was not selected by either team. Many fans were sad to hear about the potential loss of Jordi, but it is important for fans to understand his career choices and let him prove to the league what we know he is capable of.
What this means for the Sacramento Kings
Fortunately, there shouldn’t be any big changes for the Kings. Basketball isn’t something that is taken super seriously when it comes to international competition – hence recently selected number one pick Victor Wembanyama choosing not to play for France at the upcoming World Cup. This will leave some roles open for the Kings during summers, however, so it is very possible we see a new hire by Mike Brown to help with coaching while Fernandez is away. Regardless, we still have Jordi for now.
