Jenkins leaves his post as assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer with the Milwaukee Bucks to join the Grizzlies. (Lindsey Turner | CC BY 2.0)
Wharton graduate Taylor Jenkins is joining the Memphis Grizzlies as head coach, the team announced in a press release on Tuesday.
On April 11, just one day after the close of the NBA regular season, controlling owner Robert Pera fired the Grizzlies’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Pera also demoted then General Managerr Chris Wallace to scout.
Jenkins will fill the position left by Bickerstaff. Jenkins leaves his post as assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer with the Milwaukee Bucks. This past season, the Bucks boasted a record of 60-22, the best regular season record in the NBA. The team also led the NBA in points per game, with an average of 118.1.
From 2013 to 2018, Jenkins also served as an assistant to Budenholzer with the Atlanta Hawks. During Jenkins' tenure, the team made four postseason appearances.
This past season, the Grizzlies finished 33-49, a record that kept them out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
"In order to put our team on the path to sustainable success, it was necessary to change our approach to basketball operations," Pera said in a statement. "I look forward to a re-energized front office and fresh approach to Memphis Grizzlies basketball under new leadership, while retaining the identity and values that have distinguished our team."
Jenkins graduated from Wharton in 2007, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in economics with a concentration in management. He also minored in psychology.
While a student, Jenkins was a member of Kite and Key and gave tours to prospective students visiting campus.
In 2017, Jenkins returned to Penn to give a talk to the Wharton Undergraduate Sports Business Club.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate