MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tuomas Iisalo, with an established track record as a head coach, now faces his inaugural stint in the NBA as the interim head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are currently vying for a playoff spot with only nine games remaining in the season. In his first game at the helm, the Grizzlies suffered a defeat with a 134-127 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, despite battling back after a shaky start.
“A lot of times, you don’t know what happened during the game before you watch video,” Iisalo noted following the defeat. He acknowledged the team’s struggle to execute basic plays in the first half and emphasized improvements needed as the games continue.
Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, Iisalo is taking a pragmatic approach with his new role, focusing on one day at a time. His interim appointment came after Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman made a surprising decision to dismiss coach Taylor Jenkins recently. Kleiman defended the surprising timing, asserting it serves the team’s best interests at a crucial juncture in the season. The departure of Jenkins was accompanied by the exit of two assistants, leaving Iisalo with a reduced bench staff against the Lakers.
Kleiman underscored an essential team principle—urgency—an explanation behind Jenkins’s dismissal. The Grizzlies are facing rivals nearly all in playoff contention in the final stretch, which Kleiman hopes will be a turning point. The team’s position in the Western Conference still holds the mathematical possibility of reclaiming the No. 2 spot, avoiding a slide into the play-in tournament range.
“I’m responsible for everything,” Kleiman declared. “I’m responsible for coaching. I’m responsible for the roster. I’m not trying to absolve myself of anything. I’m excited to see what this team can do the rest of the way, but this was the conclusion that I came to that this was in the best interest of the team and we push forward with this group.” He also disclosed that no players were involved in the decision to terminate Jenkins. The unexpected nature of the change took those in the locker room by surprise.
For Scotty Pippen, the news of Jenkins’ firing, learned via social media, caught him off guard. Pippen attributed some recent team struggles to challenges in competitiveness—a topic regularly arising in team meetings. “We all kind of know it’s kind of the elephant in the room,” Pippen explained. “Just like we’re not playing as well as we need to be playing defensively, offensively. And teams are making us pay for it.”
Jenkins was initially hired by Kleiman in 2019, following his elevation to executive vice president of basketball operations. During his tenure, Jenkins compiled the most wins of any Grizzlies coach in franchise history. However, the team’s performance against high-caliber opponents this season was lackluster, especially against top teams like Oklahoma City and others.
Critics pointed to Jenkins’ tendency to over-rotate players late in the schedule—a decision ripe for scrutiny along with late-game management. Meanwhile, Ja Morant, recovering from a hamstring strain, expressed the surprise and difficulty in adjusting to the coaching switch. “It was a lot to process,” Morant admitted. Jenkins and Morant shared a deep bond since Morant entered the league.
Iisalo’s entry into the NBA arena marks him as the first Finnish-born coach. His European coaching tenure is commendable, highlighted by a successful spell at Paris Basketball where he won the EuroCup and was hailed as coach of the year. Now, stepping into the Grizzlies interim role, Iisalo is singularly focused on guiding the team through the season’s end, deftly managing this transition.
The Grizzlies showed defensive improvements in the second half against the Lakers, suggesting potential areas of growth despite the initial setbacks. “The goal of the game is to win … but it was encouraging to me after that lackluster start, we did a lot of things a lot better in the second half,” Iisalo remarked, maintaining a positive outlook forward.