Nets' Head Coach Voted Among Worst in NBA in Players Poll

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez found himself among the worst coaches in the league in The Athletic's player poll.

Mar 31, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets had an interesting first season under new head coach Jordi Fernandez. There wasn't much expectation given the state of the roster, but the Nets actually surpassed their win total projected by midseason, showcasing Fernandez's affect on the organization.

Most of Brooklyn's fan base gave Fernandez praise throughout his first season with the organization. Through the first 30 games or so, the Nets were competing with some of the league's best, including multiple winning streaks. Brooklyn went on a three-game winning streak in late November, then won six of seven games to start February.

However, the majority of the rest of the league doesn't see what many optimistic Nets fans see. In The Athletic's NBA player poll, Fernandez was voted as one of the worst coaches in the league. He ranks ninth, tied with former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone.

Malone and Fernandez each received 2.7% of the 73 votes cast by players. The top of the list features Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe with 24.7% of votes. The majority of the coaches on the list are currently on lottery teams, aside from Malone (not with a team), Doc Rivers (Milwaukee Bucks), and Tom Thibodeau (New York Knicks).

The Nets will have the opportunity to build on their 26-56 season with four first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Brooklyn has 12 potential first-round picks from now until 2030, signaling one of the brightest futures across the league. How Sean Marks and the front office handle this summer will be a major indicator of their future.

The next era of Brooklyn draftees will certainly give Fernandez and his staff a challenge in terms of development, but the 2025 class is widely regarded to be one full of massive potential. Many of the players projected within the lottery have the opportunity to change the course of a franchise. It helps that the Nets have top-six odds at the No. 1 overall pick, likely to be generational prospect Cooper Flagg.

If Brooklyn sees major development next season, don't expect Fernandez to be on this list in 2026. The Nets are kicking off a major rebuild, and it starts with developing the young core.