Who is Tuomas Iisalo, Memphis Grizzlies' interim coach after Taylor Jenkins firing?
ByYash Nitish Bajaj
Mar 29, 2025 12:24 AM IST
Tuomas Iisalo will be named as the Memphis Grizzlies' interim head coach after the NBA side fired Taylor Jenkins
Tuomas Iisalo will be named as the Memphis Grizzlies' interim head coach after the NBA side fired Taylor Jenkins on Friday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported, citing sources. Iisalo, a native of Finland, has been the assistant coach for the Grizzlies under Jenkins. The 42-year-old is a former Finnish player and coach.
Tuomas Iisalo will be appointed as Memphis Grizzlies' interim head coach(X/Michael Scotto)
Tuomas Iisalo will be appointed as Memphis Grizzlies' interim head coach(X/Michael Scotto)
He was head coach of Paris Basketball in 2024, winning the EuroCup and EuruCup coach of the year.
His appointment comes after the Grizzlies parted ways with Jenkins just ahead of the postseason. “I'm genuinely appreciative of Taylor's contributions to this team and this city over the past six seasons. This was a difficult decision, given the consistent and tangible development of our players and overall success under Taylor's leadership. I wish Taylor the very best going forward,” Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said in a statement.
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Jenkins signed a multiyear contract extension with Memphis back in June 2022. The 40-year-old previously worked as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. He finished his Grizzlies tenure with a 250-214 win-loss record.
Reacting to the firing on X, platform formerly known as Twitter, a Grizzlies media contributor said: “I’m not going to lie, the Taylor Jenkins firing was inevitable and it was only a matter of time. this team is in a different place than it was in 2019 and we needed a new compass with that being said, shoutout to everything he did and for developing the hell out of a lot of these guys who are either still here or have moved on.”
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Who is Tuomas Iisalo?
Tuomas Iisalo is a Finnish basketball coach currently serving as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies. Before joining the Grizzlies, Iisalo had a notable coaching career in Europe. He worked in the Finnish basketball leagues and with the national basketball team.
Iisalo's background as an assistant coach with Memphis gives him a strong understanding of the team's dynamics.
The Memphis Grizzlies will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
Memphis Grizzlies
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