The Grizzlies have signed head coach Taylor Jenkins to a multiyear contract extension, the team announced today in a press release.
“Taylor has done an outstanding job leading our team and this extension is well-deserved,” executive VP of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said in a statement. “The year-over-year progress under Taylor speaks for itself, but his growth-oriented, selfless and competitive approach has been a driving force in the establishment of a sustainable culture. We have full confidence that Taylor will steer us to Memphis’ first championship.”
A former assistant under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta and Milwaukee, Jenkins was hired by the Grizzlies in 2019 to replace former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. He led Memphis to a 34-39 record in 2019/20 and a 38-34 mark in ’20/21, earning consecutive play-in spots. The team made the playoffs in 2021, but lost in the first round to Utah in five games.
Jenkins’ Grizzlies broke out in a major way this past season, putting up a 56-26 regular season record and winning a playoff series for the first time since 2015. Jenkins finished second in Coach of the Year voting behind Monty Williams, whose Suns were the only team to post a better record than Memphis.
In total, Jenkins has a 128-99 (.564) regular season record and a 7-10 mark in the playoffs since becoming the Grizzlies’ head coach.
The terms of Jenkins’ contract aren’t known, but the extension was classified as a multiyear deal. Even if we conservatively assume Jenkins had just one year left on his previous contract and got two new years on his extension, he’ll be under contract for the next three seasons — I’d guess the new deal locks him up for even longer than that.
Watch out for the Grizzlies. They’re going to be a big-time problem for any Contender to deal with next season.
And all of Memphis erupts in applause!!!
Even though it seemed like a no-brainer, I’m glad the team got it done!
He’s done a very good to great job, despite failing to get his BS narrative about Poole to stick. No question this team is up and coming.
Reminds me…
“What would you rather be, a bear or a dog?”
“I don’t care.”
“I would rather be a bear-dog, half bear, half dog. Because that way I would live in the house, but I still get to make a doodie in the woods!”
“Allen…!!!”
He looks a lot like Hopper from Stranger Things
His extension game is equal to his beard game.