Nets' Jordi Fernandez reveals reason for Jalen Wilson's limited minutes vs. Magic
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Jalen Wilson was among the Brooklyn Nets’ top bright spots last season as a rookie. His steady drumbeat continued entering 2024-25, as the second-year forward scored 16 points in 34 minutes during Brooklyn’s season-opener. The performance left fans and media encouraged, with the rebuilding Nets shifting their focus toward youth.
Yet, Wilson played just 13 minutes during Friday’s 116-101 loss to the Orlando Magic, and head coach Jordi Fernandez revealed why postgame.
"I want to see more defense from him, and I want him to understand the challenge,” Fernandez said. “It's not just that you're gonna go out there and score 16 [points] and have a great game offensively. A basketball game is a game that you gotta play on both ends, and that's what I need from him. And the reality is I know that he's more than capable. So if he hasn't done it, there's only one way you learn in life, and it's when they take things away from you.
“As good of a kid as he is and he works his tail off, I think that every time I challenge him and I tell him, he always responds. So I know J-Will will be a very good player on both ends, a two-way player, but that's what I'm gonna demand. If I see one day that he's not, I'm gonna let him know."
Wilson was scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting with one rebound, two assists and one steal during the loss.
Jordi Fernandez challenging Jalen Wilson early with Nets
Wilson has looked like a draft night steal since the Nets selected him 51st overall in 2023. After winning a National Championship and earning First-Team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year honors at Kansas, the 23-year-old has shown the intangibles necessary to be a successful NBA role player.
Despite emerging as a star during his senior season at Kansas, Wilson maintained a reputation for his hustle as a defender and rebounder. He’s added an improved three-point stroke to his arsenal since transitioning to the pros.
Despite this, the extent of Wilson’s role early this season has been a question mark. The Nets have a logjam on the wing, with Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith still on the roster. Johnson played 35 minutes against Orlando, while Finney-Smith logged 26.
After trading Mikal Bridges and entering a rebuild, Brooklyn is expected to field offers for both veterans ahead of this year’s deadline. This could open a more extensive role for Wilson later in the year.
In the meantime, Wilson must maintain his defensive intensity to complement his growing offensive game if he hopes to see minutes in Fernandez’s rotation.
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