assistant coach Jordi Fernandezwhich became this wednesday First Spaniard to lead an NBA team in an official matchThus ended his “American dream” for which he had worked tirelessly for years.
Fernandez (Badalona, Spain, 1982) He led the Kings in Sacramento’s victory over the Toronto Raptors (123–124).
The ‘Associate Head Coach’ at the Sacramento Kings from this year onwards, Fernandez works under the orders of Mike Brown, the head coach of the franchise.
but Brown’s third quarter ejection opened the door for him To make history in NBA and Spanish basketball.
“Historic. Jordi Fernandez becomes First Spaniard to direct an NBA game as head coach With the Sacramento Kings”, the official NBA Spain account posted on Twitter.
The tweet was accompanied by a video in which Fernandez was seen jubilantly entering the Kings’ locker room. victory celebration with players Pouring water on it like Domantas Sabonis or Harrison Barnes.
After the game ended, Fernandez was humble and attributed the one-point win to the hard-fought win against the Raptors. player feedback Sacramento after Brown’s ejection.
“The coach’s removal has already been seen. I think the fact that he fought so hard for his players, the players reacted. I think it has been a.” team play. The assistants were calm and helped me a lot. As well as each player,” Fernandez said.
“It was an unbelievable victory,” he said.
dreams come true
In an interview with Efe last week, Fernandez, who has also served on the coaching staff of franchises such as the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Denver Nuggets, talked about this. Likely to become the first Spaniard to lead an NBA team.
“My goal is to be a Positive impact The organization I am in My ultimate job is to make Mike Brown’s life easier. If my good work gives me a chance, I will be ready. I believe I am and I will be able to do it, but it’s up to me where I am today and that makes me very excited.”
“I don’t do it for a personal goal: I do it for a collective purpose, which is the team I’m on”. He assured that his goal was to make the Kings “a winning group”.
Fernandez first came to the US in 2004 to attend a summer campus.
“a playerwho was from oklahoma, He put me in touch with his coach and that’s where I ended up. The next summer I started at Impact Academy in Las Vegas and met the owner, Joe Abunassar,” he recalled.
“Since then, during the year I did my doctorate at INEF and I spent my summers working here. It filled me a lot because I saw incredible players. I did it for four years. My holidays were different but I enjoyed them all the same.”
The key to him settling in America was when he met Brown, who was L.He was offered to “start at the bottom” with the Cavaliers.
“What the American dream. I dropped everything in Spain, in September I moved and I was learning and working a lot,” he said.
Throughout his career in the NBA He has worked on the pitch and the changing room With stars like LeBron James or Nikola Jokic.
“Day-to-day you realize they are normal people. I can only say positive things about LeBron as a person and professional. He is very hardworking and intelligent. Not everything has to be physically gifted: you must also have discipline and an incredible work ethic. You don’t realize it until you see everything behind it. He works very carefully,” he explained.
However, Fernandez also mentioned He has had to make sacrifices along with his family to pursue his dream in the NBA.
“My wife suited up in Denver a city we loved very much and all of a sudden you had to leave (while signing for Sacramento). Your whole life changes,” he admitted.
“We’ve been lucky that we’ve spent seven and six years in the same organization, it’s not normal. The logistics of moving, finding a place to live, changing states, kids’ school… Your life takes a turning point”, hill.
