Taylor Jenkins

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Taylor Jenkins

| image =

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| caption =

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| position =

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1984|09|12}}

| birth_place = Arlington, Texas, U.S.

| death_date =

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| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb =

| high_school = St. Mark's School
(Dallas, Texas)

| college =

| coach_start = 2008

| cyears1 = 2008–2012

| cteam1 = Austin Toros (assistant)

| cyears2 = 2012–2013

| cteam2 = Austin Toros

| cyears3 = {{nbay|2013|start}}–{{nbay|2017|end}}

| cteam3 = Atlanta Hawks (assistant)

| cyears4 = {{nbay|2018|full=y}}

| cteam4 = Milwaukee Bucks (assistant)

| cteam5 = Memphis Grizzlies

| cyears5 = {{nbay|2019|start}}–{{nbay|2024|end}}

| highlights = As assistant coach:

NBA D-League champion (2012)

}}

Taylor Vetter Jenkins{{cite book|url=https://archives.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/commencement-program-2007.pdf|page=33|title=2007: 251st Commencement|publisher=University of Pennsylvania|accessdate=May 21, 2021}} (born September 12, 1984) is an American professional basketball coach who was most recently the head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Early life and education

Jenkins attended the St. Mark's School of Texas in Dallas. He was a two-time captain on their basketball team, where he played as an undersized {{convert|6|ft|3|in|adj=on}} forward. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania and earned a Bachelor's of Science in economics while concentrating in management and minoring in psychology.{{cite web |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Ken |title=Taylor Jenkins: An Ivy Leaguer's Rise |date=September 25, 2012|url=https://www.nba.com/spurs/features/120925_rodriguez_jenkins |website=NBA.com |access-date=February 13, 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Greg |title=Wharton alum is new coach of NBA's Memphis Grizzlies |url=https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/wharton-alum-new-coach-nbas-memphis-grizzlies |work=Penn Today |access-date=February 13, 2020 |date=June 12, 2019}} He did not play college basketball.

Coaching career

Jenkins interned with the San Antonio Spurs basketball operations department during the 2007–08 season.

Jenkins worked as an assistant coach for the Spurs' NBA Development League affiliate, the Austin Toros, from 2008 to 2012. The Toros won the NBA D-League championship in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/coachfile/taylor_jenkins/?nav=page|title=NBA.com Taylor Jenkins|website=www.nba.com}} Jenkins was appointed as head coach for the 2012–13 season and led the Toros to a 27–23 (.540) record and a first-round playoff victory over the Bakersfield Jam before falling to the Santa Cruz Warriors in the semifinals.

On July 11, 2013, Jenkins was hired as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks under head coach Mike Budenholzer.{{Cite web |date=July 11, 2013 |title=Hawks Add Jenkins to Coaching Staff |url=https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/hawks-add-jenkins-coaching-staff |access-date=July 11, 2013 |website=NBA.com}} The Hawks reached the playoffs four consecutive years including a trip to the NBA Eastern Conference finals in 2015. Jenkins helped develop four of the Hawks 2015 starting five into NBA All-Stars (four starters appeared on the 2015 NBA All-Star roster).{{cite web|url=https://www.kauffmansports.com/taylor-jenkins/|title=Taylor Jenkins - Official Booking Agent, Speaker, Agency, Representative|website=Kauffman Sports|access-date=June 11, 2019|archive-date=September 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905062038/https://www.kauffmansports.com/taylor-jenkins|url-status=dead}} Jenkins later followed Budenholzer to be an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2018–19 NBA season.{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2018 |title=Bucks Name Assistant Coaching Staff |url=https://www.nba.com/bucks/news/bucks-name-assistant-coaching-staff |access-date=June 7, 2018 |website=NBA.com}}{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2018 |title=Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer fills staff with ex-Hawks |url=https://www.nba.com/news/milwaukee-bucks-mike-budenholzer-fills-coaching-staff-ex-hawks |access-date=June 7, 2018 |website=NBA.com}} The Bucks finished with a league best 60 wins, and clinched the #1 spot in the Eastern Conference for the first time in 45 years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26444674|title=Echoes of '74: Giannis, Bucks clinch best record|date=April 5, 2019|website=ESPN.com|access-date=June 12, 2019}}

His name was brought into the spotlight when an ESPN clip showed Jenkins springing up from the bench to hold the players back during a small on-court scuffle. The video led to a profile of him in The Athletic.{{Cite web|url=https://theathletic.com/976336/2019/05/14/buck-stops-here-no-milwaukee-players-are-getting-suspended-for-leaving-the-bench-with-taylor-jenkins-on-duty/|title=Buck stops here: No Milwaukee players are getting suspended...|last=Nehm|first=Eric|work=The Athletic|access-date=June 12, 2019}}

Jenkins also served as an assistant coach for the NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Team and NBA World Team (Rising Stars) in 2015. Also, in August 2016, Jenkins participated in the Americas Team Camp presented by Nike in Mexico City. The camp consisted of four days of basketball drills and competition conducted by NBA players and coaches.{{cite web |title=Hawks Assistant Jenkins To Participate In Americas Team Camp |url=https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/hawks-assistant-jenkins-participate-americas-team-camp |website=NBA.com |access-date=February 13, 2020 |date=August 3, 2016}}

=Memphis Grizzlies=

On June 11, 2019, the Memphis Grizzlies hired Jenkins as their new head coach.{{cite web|title=Memphis Grizzlies name Taylor Jenkins head coach|url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/memphis-grizzlies-name-taylor-jenkins-head-coach-190611|website=NBA.com|access-date=June 11, 2019|date=June 11, 2019}} The Memphis Commercial Appeal called the hire a "defining moment for owner Robert Pera," as well as the front office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/columnists/mark-giannotto/2019/06/11/grizzlies-hiring-taylor-jenkins-robert-pera-defining-moment/1420783001/|title=The Grizzlies' hiring of Taylor Jenkins is defining moment for owner Robert Pera, new front office|website=The Commercial Appeal|access-date=June 12, 2019}}

Jenkins was named the Western Conference's Coach of the Month in both January 2020 and December 2021.{{cite web |title=Grizzlies' Taylor Jenkins named Western Conference Coach of the Month for January |url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/grizzlies-taylor-jenkins-named-western-conference-coach-of-the-month-for-january-200203 |website=NBA.com |access-date=February 13, 2020 |date=February 3, 2020}}{{cite web |title=Grizzlies' Taylor Jenkins named Western Conference Coach of the Month for January |url=https://www.nba.com/amp/grizzlies/news/grizzlies-taylor-jenkins-named-nba-western-conference-coach-of-the-month-220104 |website=NBA.com |access-date=April 15, 2022|date=April 15, 2022}} In 2022, the Grizzlies won their division for the first time in franchise history.

On June 13, 2022, the Grizzlies signed Jenkins to a multi-year contract extension.{{Cite web |date=June 13, 2022 |title=Memphis Grizzlies sign Head Coach Taylor Jenkins to multi-year contract extension |url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/memphis-grizzlies-sign-head-coach-taylor-jenkins-to-multi-year-contract-extension-220613 |access-date=June 13, 2022 |website=NBA.com}}

On March 28, 2025, the Grizzlies fired Jenkins after six seasons with the team, with only nine games remaining in the 2024–25 regular season and the Grizzlies having all but secured entry into the 2025 NBA playoffs by this time with a 44–29 record at the time.{{cite web |date=March 28, 2025 |title=Memphis Grizzlies part ways with head coach Taylor Jenkins |url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/memphis-grizzlies-part-ways-with-head-coach-taylor-jenkins |access-date=March 28, 2025 |work=NBA.com}}