The Memphis Grizzlies are hiring Milwaukee Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins as their next head coach, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Grizzlies are expected to formalize the announcement later today.
Jenkins is third NBA head coach to come directly off from Mike Budenholzer’s coaching staff, including Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz and Kenny Atkinson of the Brooklyn Nets.
All three of the aforementioned coaches made the postseason in 2018-19.
Jenkins has built a reputation as an outstanding young teacher and tactician, something the Grizzlies saw as greatly attractive with a talent like Murray State point guard Ja Morant, within their crosshairs. Morant is the likely No. 2 selection in next week's NBA Draft, one the Grizzlies have effusively welcomed.
The Grizzlies conducted a wide-range search over the past two months, considering EuroLeague, NBA and NCAA coaching candidates.
Jenkins met with Memphis officials three times, including new executive vice president of basketball operations, Zach Kleiman, who led the search and recently with owner Robert Pera last week.
Jenkins has been an assistant on Budenholzer's staffs with the Bucks (2018-19) and the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18) — boasting six years of experience under one of the best tacticians of the Gregg Popovich school of coaching.
He started his coaching career with the San Antonio Spurs G-League franchise in Austin, where he led them to the playoffs — now with a chance to make an impact at the NBA level with stars in the making like Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
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