The Memphis Grizzlies are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies play in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1995 along with the Toronto Raptors as part of the NBA's expansion into Canada. The Grizzlies and the Raptors became the first non-United States teams to join the NBA since 1946.[1] After spending six seasons in Vancouver, the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis in the 2001–02 season.[2] The Grizzlies have played their home games at the FedExForum since 2004.[3] The Grizzlies were owned by Michael Heisley and several locals including J. R. Hyde, Andy Cates, and Elliot Perry.[4]
There have been 11 head coaches for the Grizzlies franchise. The franchise's first head coach was Brian Winters, who coached for two seasons.[5] Lionel Hollins is the franchise's all-time leader in regular-season games coached (415), and the franchise's all-time leader in regular-season game wins (214).[6] Hubie Brown is the only Grizzlies head coach to have won the NBA Coach of the Year Award.[7] Brown was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor,[a] in 2005.[8] Tony Barone and Marc Iavaroni have spent their entire NBA head coaching careers with the Grizzlies.[9][10][11] Iavaroni was fired by the Grizzlies on January 22, 2009. Hollins was named as Iavaroni's successor, though Johnny Davis was the head coach for two games before Hollins' third term with the team.[12] On May 7, 2016, Dave Joerger was fired by the Grizzlies.[13] On May 29, 2016, David Fizdale was hired by the Grizzlies.[14] Fizdale was fired on November 27, 2017.
- ^ "The NBA Settles North of the Border". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
- ^ "Grizzlies History". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on January 23, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ "About FedExForum". FedExForum.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
- ^ Williams, David (March 27, 2008). "Grizzlies partners truly in minority". The Commercial Appeal. The E.W. Scripps Co. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
- ^ "Brian Winters Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
- ^ "Lionel Hollins Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ^ "Coach of the Year". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
- ^ "Hubie Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
- ^ "Tony Barone Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
- ^ "Marc Iavaroni Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
- ^ "Dave Joerger Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
- ^ Tillery, Ronald. "Grizzlies introduce Lionel Hollins as new coach". The Commercial Appeal. The E.W. Scripps Co. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
- ^ "Grizzlies dismiss Joerger after three seasons". ESPN.com. May 7, 2016. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ "Grizzlies name David Fizdale head coach". NBA.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.