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Tuomas Iisalo has been appointed as the new head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, as announced by the franchise. This marks a historic moment, making him the first head coach born in Finland to take the helm in the NBA.
Iisalo stepped in as interim head coach from late March to the conclusion of the last season after Taylor Jenkins was let go. He joined the Grizzlies as an assistant coach in the summer prior.
Before his tenure with the Grizzlies, Iisalo enjoyed a triumphant coaching career in Europe, securing the 2023 Basketball Champions League and the 2024 EuroCup titles with Ratiopharm Ulm and Paris Basketball, respectively.
According to the Grizzlies:
Today, the Memphis Grizzlies announced that Tuomas Iisalo (pronounced TWA-mas EE-za-low) has been named the head coach. The specifics of the contract were not made public, in accordance with team policy.
“I have complete confidence in Tuomas as he assumes the role of head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies moving forward,” stated Zachary Z. Kleiman, the Grizzlies’ President and General Manager of Basketball Operations. “Every team he has led has demonstrated discipline, tenacity, and connectivity on both sides of the court, often surpassing expectations. We anticipate more of the same here in Memphis.”
Iisalo was elevated to the interim head coach position on March 28, 2025, successfully leading the Grizzlies to the NBA Playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. He initially joined the Memphis staff as the primary assistant on July 7, 2024, following a distinguished coaching career in Europe.
Prior to joining the Grizzlies, Iisalo captured the EuroCup championship and was honored as EuroCup Coach of the Year during his inaugural season with Paris Basketball. He crafted a historic offensive powerhouse, guiding Paris to a remarkable 20-1 record and winning the title in only the club’s second year in the EuroCup.
He earned the title of Coach of the Year in the 2024 LNB Pro A after leading Paris to victory in the French Leaders Cup and reaching the French LNB Pro A Finals. Additionally, he was appointed as the head coach for Team World in the LNB All-Star Game. Paris’s impressive 25-game winning streak across all competitions remains the longest in the history of the French League.
Before his success with Paris, Iisalo was recognized as Coach of the Year in the Bundesliga for two consecutive seasons (2021-2023) while leading Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany. He also received the 2023 Champions League Coach of the Year award after leading Bonn to the Champions League title. Iisalo previously spent five seasons (2016-2021) coaching for Crailsheim Merlins in Germany.
As the first coach in NBA history from Finland, Iisalo hails from Helsinki and had a 14-year professional basketball career entirely in Finland, winning the 2009 Finnish Cup with Espoon Honka. He began his coaching journey as head coach of Tapiolan Honka in 2014 and has played 57 games for the Finnish men’s national team.
