Jordi Fernandez coaching Team Canada and still keeping tabs on his Nets in Summer League
Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez gestures in the first half of an exhibition game against the United States ahead of the Paris Olympic Games at T-Mobile Arena on July 10 in Las Vegas. Credit: Getty Images/Ethan Miller
LAS VEGAS — After a Nets practice before heading to Summer League, players received texts at about 2 to 3 a.m. The message was from Jordi Fernandez.
Fernandez was busy coaching the Canadian men’s basketball team in Las Vegas, but the Nets’ first-year coach heard his other team didn’t look sharp. So he relayed his thoughts to remind the Nets to stay focused and clean up their issues.
“He texted and said we need to pick it up,” Dariq Whitehead said this past week. “He sent us a text that he watched [the previous practice] and that led to us having a great practice.”
It was insight into how Fernandez is balancing two jobs while imprinting his vision on the Nets.
Even if he can’t be present at Summer League, he’s keeping tabs and offering advice.
Whitehead added that it fits in with Fernandez being detailed and creating defined roles for players. Noah Clowney noted that his new coach is very hands-on and can be like an overseer monitoring everything and chiming in when necessary.
As such, there’s more understanding of what’s expected on the court, especially with a greater emphasis on being disruptive on defense.
“I feel like [Fernandez] put a structure in place where everybody knew what to expect,” Whitehead said. “There was no questions left out on what we’re going to be doing or what’s the system.
“From the first day he came in, he told us what it was going to be, how we need to work to get to where we need to be.”
Players said Saturday they hadn’t heard from Fernandez after Friday’s win over the Pacers, when they forced 28 turnovers. But they expect to at some point because he’s been in constant communication, whether it’s a group message or individual encouragement.
For Keon Johnson, an unrestricted free agent after being on a two-way contract last season, the message is to be a dog on defense and play with physicality. Johnson found that helpful as he tries to find a permanent spot next season or audition for another two-way contract.
“Just to have a head coach to even reach out to you and let you know that you’re doing this well and he’d like to see you do better in other things, it’s just good for us young guys,” Johnson said.
It’s also helpful having assistant Steve Hetzel as Summer League coach. Fernandez was an assistant for Hetzel when he coached the Canton Charge in the G League in 2013-14, so there’s no drop-off or change in messaging when Hetzel ran practices in Brooklyn.
That was the case Thursday when the Nets had their first practice in Las Vegas. While Hetzel was in charge, Fernandez watched from the sideline after Team Canada’s exhibition loss to Team USA on Wednesday.
Fernandez later left to continue his preparation for the Olympics, but it let the players know that even though he’s not present, he’s watching and ready to give praise and critique their efforts as they continue through Summer League. “It’s just a sense of confidence,” Clowney said. “It means a lot in the fact that he believes in us and is looking to [help us make progress] in our game so that we can be beneficial to the team later on.”
Watford glad to re-sign
Trendon Watford was in good spirits Friday while sitting next to former Nets teammate Mikal Bridges and current assistant Juwan Howard. Watford re-signed with the Nets this month, accepting a one-year contract. It was a much different feeling from last August, when he signed a non-guaranteed contract. After proving himself as a reserve, the contract was fully guaranteed in January.
“A year ago, I was in a whole different position,” Watford said. “So just blessed to have some stability coming into this year.”
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
