Kenny Attkisson knows the challenges of rebuilding. The former Brooklyn Nets head coach, now leading the championship hopefuls Cleveland Cavaliers, also knows what it takes to succeed.
While Atkinson acknowledged the difficulties of the Nets' situation, he is confident The team would eventually advance, as their group did when they made the playoffs in 2018–19.
“You will definitely go through them [hard] moment. You like to be process-oriented and stick to it, but you're going home after the game and you're taking that L. It's tough, especially when they start piling up,'' Atkinson said before Brooklyn's 106-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. "Everyone says, 'Okay, don't worry.' Of course, if you're competitive you worry. But that's part of it, part of going through a rebuild and part of being a young coach. You're looking at Charlotte right now, well, they went through it. that third year [in Brooklyn] When we were successful and reached the playoffs, it was almost doubly rewarding, because you go through these real struggles and tough times.
"I'll never forget when we won the playoffs; it was like winning the championship. It was crazy, because you look back at the first year, I think we lost 27 out of 29. It was crazy, like, 'Will we ever win another game?' [The turnaround] That will happen here because they have drafted really good talent. They have a good coaching staff and a good front office. It will break. You're just waiting for it, like 'When's that going to happen?' And you look at it like, 'Is it ever going to happen?'... But they work so hard, it's going to happen eventually with the talent they have.'
Kenny Atkinson explains whether it's difficult to maintain a positive attitude during a rebuilding year like the Nets:
“It's tough, especially when the losses start piling up... My first year here, I think we lost 27 out of 29. It was crazy, like, 'Can we... pic.twitter.com/IOIruXRfkk
- Eric Slater (@erikslater_) 1 March 2026
The loss was the Nets' eighth consecutive loss to Cleveland, their longest of the season. Still, a four-point loss against the fourth-seeded Cavaliers after Friday's 148-111 loss to the Boston Celtics was a step in the right direction.
Nets searching for wins through challenges of rebuilding season
In another season of rebuilding, Brooklyn's focus is not on wins or losses, but on development. While developmental wins are paramount, they don't show up on the scoreboard.
Danny Wolf admitted accepting reality has been a challenge in the Nets locker room.
"Most people in the NBA come from winning teams, no matter what level," Wolf said. “This is the first time I've been a part of it, I don't say we're a losing team, obviously our record is 15-45, but we are the youngest team in the NBA and there are a lot of valuable lessons. I don't like to say you can learn from losing, because it hurts and it sucks, and losing as a contender is one of the worst feelings, but with such a young group, I think there's resiliency and fight. [is important]. When you lose by four points to a team that you lost to by 30 points a week before, I think that points to improvement.”
The Nets are hoping this rebuild will produce similar results to Sean Marks' first. However, the current team is a stark contrast to the groups Atkinson coached from 2016 to 2019.
Brooklyn was devoid of rookie talent during those years. The Nets now feature an NBA-record five rookie first-round picks. While this is a luxury compared to their previous rebuilds, it is also an unprecedented challenge for Jordi Fernandez and his staff.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said of the difficulties of the situation in Brooklyn, "It's hard to ask one 19-year-old boy to help another 19-year-old boy. It's like asking a group of kids who are just learning to swim to make sure the other one doesn't drown." "You have to, sometimes, take a step back and give grace and be patient. They're learning what it takes to survive in this league, which is a lot. When you have a lot of young players trying to do that, it's hard to have the connectivity or cohesion that it can take to make some tough performances in a given game or over time. But it's also very rewarding when you have guys with character, good young players and hard workers. Jordi [Fernandez] You have done a great job. You see the competition every night. You just have to live with it.
Mitch Johnson when asked how challenging he thinks it will be to develop five rookies for the Nets:
"It's hard to ask one 19-year-old boy to help another 19-year-old boy. It's like asking a group of kids learning to swim to make sure the other one doesn't drown." pic.twitter.com/dOFqkdPDpf
- Eric Slater (@erikslater_) 26 February 2026
The Nets have done their best to control the development of their rookies – Igor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Wolf. Apart from Demin, all of them have spent a long time in the G League. Each has been an encouraging addition to Brooklyn's rotation, providing encouragement to the team's brass.
The Nets' 15-45 record puts them in prime position to add a star-level draft pick to their young core this summer. While draft status would remain the main story in the team's last 22 games, Fernandez was adamant that his team would compete until the final buzzer of the season.
"The record is what it is. It is a reality, and we are well aware of it," Fernandez said. "And at the same time, we don't like it. Hopefully, everybody feels the same way, and that's what our players do: They show up every day and work. It's not pulling teeth, it's not uncomfortable, it's not a bad feeling. So it's all good. Coming here and feeling like we can go against anybody should be very important. If you're up 10, you want to be up 20. If you're down 20, you Wanting that to be down to 10. Those things have to matter. We don't have to flip a switch and suddenly we'll be there.
"I like where the group is. The group cares, the coaches care, the organization cares. Finding our wins, we did it last year, we're going to do it differently this year because it's a different context. We really like where we are. We have a process and a plan. You can't control everything because there are things that are [out of your control]But it is very exciting. And everyone should feel the excitement of the next step. Obviously, I want to win every single game, but to compete in these 25 and then play this summer, it's the greatest summer of our lives.
