Nets' Jordi Fernandez Seemingly Overlooked in Coach of the Year Race

Fernandez has been embraced by the Nets community, but the rest of the NBA hasn't recognized Brooklyn's overachievment so far.

Nov 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez reacts during the second half of the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images / John Hefti-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets have a spark at the head coach position with Jordi Fernandez. Hired earlier this year, Fernandez has gotten the Nets off to an impressive 9-10 start, and they currently sit tied for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn, a team expected to finish at the bottom of the standings, has exceeded expectations, most recently with a 127-117 win over the Phoenix Suns without star guard Cam Thomas.

Fernandez has the Nets playing elite offensive basketball, ranking eighth in offensive rating (115.5). However, all of this early success has seemingly gone overlooked in the coach of the year race. Fernandez currently has the 12th-best odds to win the Coach of the Year award according to BetMGM.

This isn't to say that Fernandez should have the best odds, or even be a top-five candidate. However, Fernandez has had more of an effect on this offense than most coaches would have had in his position.

Of all of the coaches ahead of Fernandez in odds, seven are with a team that was in the playoffs last season. Just three other coaches are with a that missed the Play-In Tournament.

The most impressive part of Fernandez's season thus far has been his ability to do damage with an extremely similar roster to last season. Brooklyn was expected to clean house after going 32-50 last season, but the team's only significant change was trading Mikal Bridges. With a similar young core and veterans, Fernandez has elevated the offense from where it was expected to go.

If the Nets can keep this up and remain a top 10 seed, Fernandez will be sure to sneak up in the Coach of the Year race. For a team expected to be immediately looking toward the draft to start the season, this is a pleasant surprise. It's only a matter of time before the rest of the NBA recognizes Fernandez's impact.

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