NBA Star Ja Morant Points Out Big Difference in Training Camp With New Coach

The Memphis Grizzlies are aiming to build on their 2024-25 season, which concluded with a first-round playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The preseason serves as a crucial period for the team to shake off rust, manage new expectations, and adapt to the coaching style of their new head coach, Tuomas Iisalo, who was promoted from interim to permanent head coach on May 2, 2025, after initially joining as an assistant in 2024.

Star guard Ja Morant reported minimal growing pains with Iisalo, noting that the team remained focused and attentive to details during the first day of camp. He described it as one of the toughest but best Day 1 sessions of his career, highlighting the players' preparedness after offseason discussions with Iisalo about his expectations, which emphasize quickness and fast rotations.

Iisalo's coaching system has received widespread praise from players, including Morant, who expressed enthusiasm for its fit with his playing style, summarizing it as "speed kills." The system focuses on aggressive offensive schemes that promote ball movement, pick-and-roll plays, and maintaining outside set-ups while increasing attacks to the hoop.

With a successful international background in the FIBA Champions League and EuroCup, Iisalo is now translating his overseas achievements to the Grizzlies, and the team has shown eagerness to embrace his strategies for the upcoming season.