NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Jordi Fernandez kept the game ball from his , which he said will be a reminder of where he came from and where he hopes his career will lead.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to put it in my office,鈥� Fernandez said, 鈥渂ecause my wife does a great job decorating the house and she doesn鈥檛 want my basketball stuff there.鈥�
The rookie head coach earned the victory in his third game Sunday when the 115-102. Fernandez, a native of Badalona, Spain, said his wife and kids were at the game, along with his parents, friends and extended family.
The celebration was the culmination of a 15-year journey that started when Fernandez left Spain at 26. He had begun coaching in his teens and, after coming to the U.S., worked his way up from head coach of the Canton Charge in the NBA G League to an assistant on playoff teams in Denver and Sacramento before getting his first chance to .
鈥淪o it鈥檚 very special to come all the way from starting from the bottom in the NBA, and working really hard and move up, and move up, and some good moments, some tough moments, different teams, friends, memories," Fernandez said. "And it鈥檚 really cool now you look and you have to enjoy this moment because there鈥檚 only one time that you鈥檙e a head coach and win a (first) game.
鈥淥n the other end, I also feel like, what鈥檚 the next step? And we鈥檝e got to move on to the next thing and I want to be in this league, I want to be with this club for a long time.鈥�
Fernandez deflected the credit toward his players, who treated him to a postgame celebration that Fernandez said was fun and wet.
鈥淚 mean, a guy from Europe, from Spain, being a head coach in the NBA, that鈥檚 big time,鈥� said Nets guard Dennis Schroder, who is German.
Fernandez coached Canada鈥檚 Olympic team this summer after leading the Canadians to their first men鈥檚 basketball medal in 2023, a bronze at the World Cup. He was an assistant with Nigeria鈥檚 Olympic team in the previous Olympics.
Now he has his own club in Brooklyn and, after Sunday, a new basketball.
鈥淚t represents a moment in my life,鈥� Fernandez said, 鈥渁nd you look at it and it鈥檚 the beginning of something special.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Brian Mahoney, The Associated Press
