Former Grizzlies HC David Fizdale joining Los Angeles Lakers as assistant
For a team with such a short history, the Memphis Grizzlies have gone through quite a few head coaches already. The franchise has seen 13 different guys in charge in just 26 years. For those who aren’t particularly skilled at math, that’s a new coach every two years.
Only two of these head coaches hold winning records while in charge of the Grizz, while a handful are close.
One of those coaches that is extremley close is current head coach Taylor Jenkins, who stands a single game below .500 at 72-73. If you include the postseason, Jenkins is 75-77. In all likelihood, this will quickly turn into a winning record in the next few upcoming seasons.
The other head coach that is near .500 is David Fizdale, who was only in charge of the Memphis Grizzlies for a single season. Technically, Fizdale went over .500 in his season in charge of the Grizz, winning 43 games and losing just 39. Unfortunately, they’d be booted out of the playoffs in the first round.
Fizdale would return for the following season, getting off to a rough start. He’d win just seven of the team’s first 19 games, including a controversial benching of Marc Gasol and an eight-game losing streak. This would eventually lead to his firing and send Memphis into full rebuild mode.
Fizdale did land back on his feet momentarily, being signed as the head coach of the New York Knicks. He’d go 17-65 in his first season. Unfortunately, he’d start the next season with a 4-18 record and be fired by December of 2019.
Former Memphis Grizzlies HC David Fizdale found a new gig with the Los Angeles Lakers
Say what you want about Fizdale as a head coach — he was always a great assistant. That’s what earned him his gigs in charge of two NBA teams. Unfortunately, some guys just arent built to be head coaches and that’s okay.
This week, David Fizdale was announced as a new assistant for the Los Angeles Lakers, where he’ll be reunited with LeBron James. Fizdale was an assistant for the Miami Heat team that featured Dwyane Wake, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James.
Next. Franz Wagner has everything the Grizzlies need. dark
It’s hard to say that I’ll be rooting for the Lakers, but I wish the best of luck to Fizdale in LA. Maybe Fizdale can help bring LeBron another NBA Finals victory.