The Nets-Knicks rivalry just got personal, with Jordi Fernandez set to face off against mentor Mike Brown

The Nets-Knicks interborough rivalry just got a new spark.

The Knicks are set to hire Mike Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year winner, to replace Tom Thibodeau, who was fired in June after leading the team to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000.

Here’s where it gets personal.

Brown and Nets second-year head coach Jordi Fernandez share a long-standing bond, starting from Fernandez’s time as a player development intern at IMPACT Basketball in Las Vegas.

During one of his summers in Las Vegas, Fernandez was tasked with training Brown’s son, Elijah. Impressed by Fernandez’s basketball expertise and connection with Elijah, Brown, then head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, hired him as a player development coach, kickstarting Fernandez’s NBA career.

“Coach Brown was my boss, but he treated me like family,” Fernandez said in November. “So, for me, it was very important, how much I learned, the opportunity he gave me and building my relationship with Elijah and [his younger brother] Cam.”

After Fernandez served as a Denver Nuggets assistant from 2016–22, Brown rehired him as associate head coach for the Sacramento Kings from 2022–24, and they also collaborated with the Nigerian national team.

Fernandez regards Brown as a key mentor, his “American basketball father,” and notes their bond extends well beyond basketball.

“He’s a mentor, but he’s more than that,” Fernandez said. “He’s like family to me. I would not be in this position without him. And life is one big circle, right? He’s the one that brought me here, and then years later, we were back together… This is a hard enough business, that you have to handle the wins and losses — but it’s so emotional when you work for a person. That’s what I’ve learned the most, is the way he’s treated people.”

Fernandez faced Brown once in the NBA so far, with the Nets winning 108-103 in Sacramento on Nov. 24. That victory launched a strong stretch for Brooklyn, including road wins over the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns within four days. Before the game, Brown lauded his mentee, praising the Nets for their smart coaching hire.

“He’s just the right guy for the job,” Brown said. “They’re obviously thinking about a rebuild… So, you need somebody with a plan, with energy, and then with the right focus in terms of relationships and stuff like that. Because going through that process — if that’s what they’re doing — it can be a lot of ups and downs. You need a guy that’s going to be steady, have good relationships with everybody, and keep the spirits up. He has them playing really, really, really hard … I can only imagine the success that he’s going to have, especially given some time, once they figure out which direction they may or may not want to go.”

By Jan. 27, when the Kings played the Nets in Brooklyn, they had already fired Brown after a 13-18 start. Brown earned Coach of the Year in his first Sacramento season in 2022-23, guiding the Kings to a No. 3 seed before a seven-game playoff loss to Golden State. He compiled a 107-88 record over two-plus seasons, with winning records in both full seasons.

Fernandez was understandably upset with Sacramento’s decision to fire Brown.

“He’s just very good at what he does,” Fernandez said at the time. “He’s, in my opinion, one of the best. I would not be here without him. Obviously, to me, this is really sad news, and I don’t like it… It’s part of the business. Things can go one way where, if you think about it, a year and a half ago, he’s Coach of the Year and now, this situation happens.”

Both now coach in New York City, on opposite ends of the NBA spectrum. After a 26-56 season, Fernandez, 42, guides a Nets rebuild with five rookies, while Brown, 55, takes a veteran Knicks roster that won 51 games last season, aiming to bring a championship to Manhattan.

The Knicks swept the Nets 4-0 last season, leaving Fernandez burning for redemption. There will be no love lost between the two off the court, but on it, expect a battle.

“I’ve known him for 17 years now,” Brown said. “I’ve seen his growth. He’s an amazing person. He’s ready for anything.”