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[Saba Sports News] The Memphis Grizzlies have made a key decision about their coaching future.
On Friday, the team officially announced that Tuomas Iisalo has been named full-time head coach, shedding the interim tag he held to close out the season.
The 42-year-old took over in late March after Memphis made the surprising move to part ways with Taylor Jenkins just weeks before the postseason.
Iisalo went 4-5 to end the regular season and helped the Grizzlies clinch the No. 8 seed via the play-in tournament. However, Memphis was swept in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder in what turned out to be a humiliating series, including one of the worst playoff collapses in recent memory.
Despite the early exit, Iisalo remains a highly respected basketball mind. Since joining the Grizzlies in 2024 to oversee the offense, he brought with him a strong international résumé.
The Finnish coach previously led Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany to a Champions League title and two Bundesliga Coach of the Year awards. He also found success in France with Paris Basketball, earning LNB Pro A Coach of the Year while winning the EuroCup and the French League Cup.
The Grizzlies face a challenging offseason ahead, with star Ja Morant at the center of trade speculation and no first-round pick due to the Marcus Smart trade. Still, they’ve taken an important first step by locking in their head coach moving forward.