Tuomas Iisalo hired as Grizzlies coach after taking over the team near the end of the season

By Canadian Press on May 2, 2025.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tuomas Iisalo, who was appointed interim coach of the Memphis Grizzlies in the waning days of the regular season, was named the team’s coach for next season, the organization announced Friday.

Terms of Iisalo’s contract were not released. He joined the team as the lead assistant this past season.

Iisalo took over the team on March 28 after the Grizzlies returned home from an 0-5 road trip, the last loss coming at Oklahoma City. The road trip led to the firing of Taylor Jenkins, the winningest coach in Grizzlies franchise history.

Iisalo, a native of Finland, was 4-5 in the final nine games of the regular season. Memphis split two games in the play-in tournament, earning the eighth seed to face Oklahoma City, to whom they lost all four games.

Before joining the Grizzlies, Iisalo served one season as coach of Paris Basketball, winning the EuroCup championship. The success earned him EuroCup Coach of the Year. In addition to his season with Paris Basketball, he had stints with teams in Germany, including five seasons with Crailsheim Merlins.

Iisalo played 14 season of professional basketball in his native Finland.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Clay Bailey, The Associated Press