Taylor Jenkins ’03 Named NBA Head Coach
Following a wide-ranging search, the Memphis Grizzlies named Taylor Jenkins ’03 as their next Head Coach. Taylor spent the 2018–2019 season as an Assistant Coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, who went an NBA-best 60-22 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. During the postseason, Jenkins became a viral sensation for jumping out of his seat to stop the Bucks bench from stepping onto the court during a minor scuffle against the Detroit Pistons.
Scott Jolly, who currently serves as St. Mark’s Senior Director of Leadership Gifts, attended today’s NBA press conference in Memphis. Scott coached Taylor in high school, where he was a three-year starter. “I’m obviously very happy and excited for Taylor, but not surprised,” said Jolly. “He is a brilliant person, a natural leader with a strong competitive spirit and an unstoppable work ethic. He has a tremendous future!”
Taylor began his career with the NBA soon after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. He interned with the San Antonio Spurs basketball operations department during the 2007–2008 season before joining the coaching staff of the Austin Toros, the San Antonio Spurs’ G League affiliate. Following the Toros’ 2012 championship season, Taylor was promoted to Head Coach and led the team to a 27–23 season record. The following year, Taylor joined the Atlanta Hawks as an Assistant Coach under Mike Budenholzer, where he served from 2013–2018. He helped coach the team to four postseason appearances, including a trip to the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals. He was an assistant coach for the 2015 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Team.
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According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Taylor was heavily involved with the Bucks, both on and off the court. On the coaching side, he oversaw scouting, game preparation, and individual player development.
Scott Jolly, who currently serves as St. Mark’s Senior Director of Leadership Gifts, attended today’s NBA press conference in Memphis. Scott coached Taylor in high school, where he was a three-year starter. “I’m obviously very happy and excited for Taylor, but not surprised,” said Jolly. “He is a brilliant person, a natural leader with a strong competitive spirit and an unstoppable work ethic. He has a tremendous future!”
Taylor began his career with the NBA soon after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. He interned with the San Antonio Spurs basketball operations department during the 2007–2008 season before joining the coaching staff of the Austin Toros, the San Antonio Spurs’ G League affiliate. Following the Toros’ 2012 championship season, Taylor was promoted to Head Coach and led the team to a 27–23 season record. The following year, Taylor joined the Atlanta Hawks as an Assistant Coach under Mike Budenholzer, where he served from 2013–2018. He helped coach the team to four postseason appearances, including a trip to the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals. He was an assistant coach for the 2015 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Team.
“Taylor has an excellent coaching pedigree, and we are confident he will lay the groundwork of developing the young players on our roster while having the elite basketball acumen and forward-thinking positive vision to be a high-level NBA head coach,” Zachary Z. Kleiman, the Grizzlies' Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, said in a statement Tuesday.
On Wednesday, June 12, 2019, Taylor's appointment was officially announced at a Grizzlies press conference in Memphis.
On Wednesday, June 12, 2019, Taylor's appointment was officially announced at a Grizzlies press conference in Memphis.
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Taylor Jenkins ’03
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Taylor Jenkins ’03 and Scott Jolly after the press conference.
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2002 St. Mark's Varsity Basketball Team (Taylor is center back row)
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
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Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
About Us
St. Mark’s School of Texas is a private, nonsectarian college-preparatory boys’ day school for students in grades 1 through 12, located in Dallas, Texas. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
