The Grizzlies made history by naming Tuomas Iisalo their next head coach as he’s now the first Finnish-born head coach in NBA history.
The Grizzlies announced the move Friday afternoon. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“I have full confidence in Tuomas serving as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies going forward,” said Grizzlies President and General Manager of Basketball Operations Zachary Z. Kleiman. “Tuomas’ teams at every level have been disciplined, tenacious and connected on both ends of the floor, consistently exceeding expectations. We look forward to the same in Memphis.”
Iisalo was originally hired by Memphis in the summer of 2024 as the team’s lead assistant after a successful coaching career overseas.
In his first season coaching Paris Basketball in 2023-24, Iisalo led the team to the 2023-24 EuroCup championship and won EuroCup Coach of the Year.
As for his playing career prior to coaching, the Helsinki native played 14 years in Finland and won the 2009 Finnish Cup. He also played 57 games for the Finnish men’s national team.
Iisalo took over interim head coaching duties near the end of this season when Memphis shockingly fired Taylor Jenkins in late March.
Jenkins left the franchise as the winningest coach in its history and was the fifth-longest tenured coach in the NBA. Jenkins had led the Grizzlies to a 44-29 record and fifth place in the Western Conference before his firing.
With Jenkins’ firing coming so late in the season, Memphis played just nine regular season games with Iisalo leading the way. The Grizzlies went 4-5 in those games to finish the season at 48-34.
They went 1-1 in the West’s Play-in Tournament, losing to the Warriors before beating the Mavericks and securing the last spot in the conference.
Memphis was then swept 4-0 by the top-seeded Thunder — losing Ja Morant to a hip injury for much of Game 3 after amassing a 29-point lead with him in that game and for all of Game 4.
Iisalo may have his work cut out for him in the loaded Western Conference, especially as there was some drama that seemed to be what forced Jenkins out just a month ago.
The core of Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane is all still under contract heading into next season and will look to improve under Iisalo’s tutelage.
