Following their early playoff exit at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Memphis Grizzlies have officially named their next head coach.
Tuomas Lisalo, who stepped in as interim head coach after the team parted ways with Taylor Jenkins in March, has now been promoted to lead the team full-time.
“I have full confidence in Tuomas serving as head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies going forward,” said general manager Zach 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.”
Lisalo now takes on the challenge of guiding the Grizzlies toward becoming a legitimate NBA championship contender—something the team struggled to achieve under Jenkins. During Jenkins’ five years at the helm, the Grizzlies made three playoff appearances but managed to advance beyond the first round only once.
Star point guard Ja Morant has already given his vote of confidence to Lisalo. “I feel like Tuomas is a good coach,” Morant said during the team’s exit interviews. “Going into film sessions with him and talking about the game—it’s clear we see the same things on the floor. I wouldn’t say it’s been surprising, but it’s definitely been exciting.”
Memphis boasts a promising core led by Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. If the franchise is to take that elusive next step, it will need Morant to reach the superstar level he’s flashed throughout his young career—with Lisalo now tasked with unlocking the team’s full potential.
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