Jordi Fernandez is stepping away as head coach of the Canadian senior men’s national basketball team, Sportsnet has learned from multiple sources.
Canada Basketball confirmed the news in a press release Thursday morning, saying that Fernandez has chosen not to extend his contract to focus on his family and his job as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Canada Basketball for the opportunity and the trust they placed in me to represent this country on the global stage,” Fernandez said in the release. “Leading Team Canada made me a better coach, and I would not be in the position I am today without this opportunity."
Canada Basketball did not name a replacement in its release and said it will begin the process of hiring a replacement.
Fernandez took over from Nick Nurse in the summer of 2023 when Nurse unexpectedly left the position due to a conflict with his then-new role as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Fernandez led Canada to the best international result the men’s program has had in the modern era, a run to the bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, while simultaneously qualifying for the 2024 Olympics. It was the men’s first appearance at the Olympic tournament since 2000 and just the second since 1988.
At the Olympics, Canada went undefeated through pool play in the so-called ‘group of death,' with wins over Spain, Greece and Australia. They drew France for their sudden-death quarterfinal matchup and lost 82-73 to the home side in Paris. France went on to capture the silver medal after dropping the final to Team USA.
Fernandez had indicated as recently as last month that he intended to stay on as head coach with an eye toward the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.
“On behalf of Canada Basketball, I want to sincerely thank Jordi and his family for their dedication and commitment to our program,” said Rowan Barrett, General Manager & Executive Vice-President, Senior Men's Program, in a statement. “We are grateful for the winning foundation he helped build as we look ahead to the LA 2028 Olympics and beyond.”
Canada Basketball chief executive officer Michael Bartlett didn’t offer a comment when reached by Sportsnet.
As head coach of the national team, Fernandez led Canada to a 9-3 record at the two most prestigious events in international basketball, and signature wins over seven of the top 13 teams in the current FIBA world rankings, as well as a win over No. 1 Team USA in the bronze medal game at the World Cup.
The Canadian men’s team is currently ranked fifth in the world.
-- with files from Sportsnet staff
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