Tuomas Iisalo has his place in NBA lore after the Memphis Grizzlies made him the first Finland-born head coach in league history.
General manager Zach Kleiman confirmed the permanent appointment after Iisalo guided the Grizzlies through the final stretch of the season following Taylor Jenkins’ dismissal.
Despite being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs, Iisalo demonstrated leadership qualities that convinced the front office he deserved the position.
“The Memphis Grizzlies are hiring Tuomas Iisalo as the franchise’s next head coach, per Shams Charania.” Yahoo Sports wrote on X.
BREAKING: The Memphis Grizzlies are hiring Tuomas Iisalo as the franchise’s next head coach, per @ShamsCharania.
Iisalo replaced Taylor Jenkins as interim in late March and is now the first Finnish-born head coach in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/BBCDXb9qtY
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 2, 2025
Iisalo joined the Grizzlies as lead assistant before the season, bringing his tactical acumen from a successful European coaching career.
His offensive schemes made an immediate impact, earning respect from players both as an assistant and after taking over.
His coaching journey began in Finland with Tapiolan Honka before building an impressive resume in Germany.
From 2016 to 2021, he led Crailsheim Merlins before taking charge at Telekom Baskets Bonn, setting new benchmarks at both organizations.
His most recent European success came with Paris Basketball, where he guided the club to its inaugural EuroLeague appearance, earning EuroCup Coach of the Year along the way.
With a complete offseason ahead, Iisalo has the opportunity to fully implement his system after what proved to be a challenging season for the Grizzlies.
