Report: Jordi Fernandez replacing Nick Nurse as head coach of Team Canada

Jordi Fernandez, associate head coach of the Sacramento Kings, is reportedly replacing Nick Nurse as the head coach of the Canadian men's national basketball program, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

In April, it was reported that Nurse would remain the head coach of Team Canada, despite losing his job with the Raptors. Nurse had been at Team Canada helm since 2019.

Fernandez, 40, will lead what is expected to be a star-studded Canadian roster. Possible NBA talents include First Team All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, NBA champion Jamal Murray, RJ Barrett, Lu Dort, and Dillon Brooks.

If these players decide to represent their country in the near future, you can expect them to play their assigned positions under Fernandez. This is because his coaching philosophy is hesitant toward positionless basketball, as he prefers players to hone in on the skills that come naturally to them, as opposed to forcing them to operate outside of their comfort zone.

The Barcelona native will get his first feel for the team this summer, as Team Canada prepares to compete in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He’ll then try to lead the nation to its first medal in basketball since 1936 at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Fernandez has experience coaching at the international level, having previously been an assistant coach to Mike Brown on the Nigerian national team during the 2020 Olympic Games.

The Badalona, Spain, native began his NBA coaching career in 2009 in a player development role with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He would go on to become the head coach of the G-League's Canton Charge, before making the jump to the NBA in 2016 as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets.

This isn’t the first time Fernandez has been linked to the basketball scene in Canada, though. The Raptors were reportedly interested in Fernandez's services before hiring Darko Rajaković to be their next head coach.