Hey! - Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins Is A Rookie Too!

Memphis Grizzlies' Head Coach Taylor Jenkins' first season has had ups and downs like any other first-year coach. Many forget that amongst the hype behind rookies Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke, that Jenkins is a rookie as well - rookie that will show flashes of greatness as well as stretches of disappointment.

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Memphis Grizzlies' Head Coach Taylor Jenkins' first season has had ups and downs like any other first-year coach. Many forget that amongst the hype behind rookies Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke, that Jenkins is a rookie as well - rookie that will show flashes of greatness as well as stretches of disappointment. 

The Grizzlies have three rookies on their roster this season.  Ja Morant is looking like the odds on favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year, with his unbelievable talent and alpha dog mentality.  Brandon Clarke has been a phenomenal surprise as not just an athletic energy player but as an efficient scorer as well.  Marko Guduric is the third rookie on the team but has had a mostly sporadic season that has included him phasing out of the rotation as of late.  

Jenkins - who is also in a sense a rookie, has had games where he looks like the perfect coach for not only today's NBA but the future of this young Grizzlies team.  He has also had games where he looks overwhelmed or like he is overcomplicating what from the outside looking in looks like an easy coaching decision.  For every moment that you celebrate the pace and open looks that the offense creates, or the way that they battle against some of the best teams in the NBA - there is a time when you wonder why you don't see more lineups with Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Brandon Clarke.

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Jenkins has developed a definite voice with his team.  They are an even-keeled team that doesn't get too high or low from game to game, win or lose. As someone who has covered the team for a while, there has always been some type of rumors or murmuring about some type of tension in the locker room and there hasn't been anything close to that so far this season.

There are no seasoned former NBA head coaches on Jenkins' bench as you see with many first time coaches, with Brad Jones coming in as the most tenured NBA assistant.  This forces Jenkins to mostly make his own decisions on the sideline without being able to lean on someone who has been there; done that.  It is debatable whether or not his ability to coach without veteran assistance is best for Jenkins or the team but Jenkins seems to be progressing well regardless of that reality.  

Jenkins is seeing everything for the first time.  Every call, every situation, every personality conflict, every media question all for the first time.  He has shown promise as a first-year coach and seems to understand managing young players better than others here in the past.  For an organization that has replaced four head coaches since Lionel Hollins in 2013 and has had a new head coach for the past three seasons, you would hope that they would find some sense of stability in Jenkins.  Coaching has many challenges - and I am hopeful that Jenkins will be able to face them and come out on top. 

Oh, and speaking of 'coaching challenges'...Nah, nevermind. I'm sure he will start challenging those soon enough too.

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