Jordi Fernandez is Spanish. He's coaching Canada against Spain at the Paris Olympics on Friday

Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez gestures to his team in a men's basketball game against Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France.

Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez gestures to his team in a men's basketball game against Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)


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VILLENEUVE-D'ASCQ, France — Jordi Fernandez was born in Spain, raised in Spain, learned basketball in Spain, even started his coaching career as a teenager in Spain. On Friday, he could eliminate Spain from the men's tournament at the Paris Olympics. For a few weeks this summer, Fernandez is playing the role of a proud Canadian, and understandably so. He coached Canada to a bronze medal at last year's World Cup and already has his team locked into an Olympic quarterfinal spot, regardless of what happens in its group-play finale against Spain. If all that wasn't enough, Spain is coached by Sergio Scariolo, one of Fernandez's mentors and idols.

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