Nets players praise Jordi Fernandez’s new “fast and safe” approach to training

First-year Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez may have had a disappointing summer while guiding Team Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics (they failed to medal), but he’s still impressing his future players with some of the changes he’s already implemented.

According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Fernandez hopes to employ a more run-and-break approach in 2024-25. And, to be fair, Fernandez did help Team Canada beat Team USA for bronze at the 2023 FIBA ​​World Cup.

Nets second-year forward Jalen Wilson, selected 51st overall out of Kansas, discussed Fernandez’s approach.

“I think the most important thing is to play fast, to play with confidence,” the 2.03-meter center reflected. “Not to be out there settling down and not being unsure of anything. But to go full speed and understand that you have to attack in everything… whether it’s shooting, dribbling, finding an open teammate, running down the court and getting to the corner, those different things.”

In 43 healthy games last season (three starts), Wilson averaged 5.0 points on .425/.324/.826 field goal percentages, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per night. In a faster-paced offseason, he has a chance to increase that production. More minutes will help, too.

Following the blockbuster trade of All-Defensive forward Mikal Bridges to the neighboring New York Knicks, Brooklyn signaled it was embracing a tank.

Read more: Knicks acquire Nets star in exchange for large draft picks

The Nets’ youth movement should create more opportunities for Wilson, fourth-year guard Cam Thomas, fourth-year center/power forward Day’Ron Sharpe and second-year forward Noah Clowney.

“We want to play fast, we want to play hard,” Clowney said. “We want to be disruptive. We know we have to be a great defensive team if we want to have any chance of winning games, and that’s the reality. Nobody has to sugarcoat that for us. We understand that.”

The 6-foot-10 center, selected with the 21st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Alabama, appeared in 23 games for Brooklyn, averaging 5.8 points on .538/.364/.700 shooting, 3.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists per night. However, he impressed at the G League level with the Nets’ NBAGL affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Clowney averaged 17.5 points on a .500/.339/.772 slash line, 7.9 rebounds, 2.1 digs, 1.7 blocks and 0.6 steals per regular-season game in 19 appearances (all starts).

After finishing 32-50 and missing the playoffs last season under former head coach Jacque Vaughn and his interim replacement, Kevin Ollie, it was pretty clear that the Nets weren’t good enough, even with Bridges, to compete for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.