Recently, the Memphis Grizzlies shocked the NBA world by parting ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins with less than a month to go until the playoffs, which are slated to begin in late April. The Grizzlies have hit some roadblocks as of late but are still in solid position in the Western Conference, causing many to wonder what could have prompted them to fire their head coach at such a bizarre time.
One person who was just as confused as anybody was Grizzlies wing GG Jackson, who thought he was being trolled by the internet when he first heard the news.
“I was brushing my teeth when my friends called me and said Coach Jenkins got fired, I was like they probably saw NBA Centel or something,” Jackson said after the Grizzlies' recent loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, per Jonah Dylan of Commercial Appeal.
“NBA Centel” is the name of a viral X (formerly Twitter) account that frequently reports satirical false news stories about the NBA and has duped several high profile media outlets in the past. However, the news about Taylor Jenkins turned out to be one hundred percent real, to the shock of many.
A puzzling decision by the Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins gestures to his team during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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While the recent Luka Doncic trade made it clear that no move is off the table for NBA teams in 2025, few teams could have foreseen the Grizzlies parting ways with their head coach, especially considering the team still has a legitimate chance to earn home court advantage for a potential first round playoff matchup this spring.
Last year was essentially a lost season for the Grizzlies with Ja Morant and several other key pieces dealing with prolonged injury absences, but before that, Memphis had appeared to be one of the brightest young teams in the league, thanks in no small part to Jenkins' leadership.
The Grizzlies' interim coach is former assistant Tuomas Iisalo, who began his tenure with a narrow loss to the Lakers on Saturday evening. The Grizzlies will look to get back in the win column on Monday evening against the Boston Celtics.