Reports reached The Commercial Appeal on July 23rd confirming that Darnell Lazare will be joining the Memphis Grizzlies’ coaching staff as an assistant.
Due to the lack of an official declaration, the sources have requested anonymity.
He was a player development coach with the Grizzlies in 2018. Lazare began his tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019 as a player development coach and was most recently an assistant for the team.
As part of his staff, Lazare becomes Memphis’ third assistant recruit under head coach Tuomas Iisalo.
Brian “Penny” Collins and Ryan Saunders were previously added to the Grizzlies. The majors are where Lazare is likely to spend most of his time.
While in New Orleans, he was instrumental in helping Yves Missi, a rookie center for the Pelicans, develop his game.
Lazare spent eight years playing in the NBA’s G-League (formerly the D-League) after being undrafted out of LSU in 2007.
Iisalo now has three assistants working for Memphis. Collins, Jason March, and Erick Schmidt were all members of Iisalo’s summer league coaching staff.
Being the most senior members of the Grizzlies organization’s coaching staff, March and Schmidt are both returning faces from last season’s squad.
After Memphis fired Taylor Jenkins on March 28, Iisalo was named the Grizzlies temporary coach.
Following his first season as the team’s head assistant coach, Iisalo was elevated to the position on May 2.
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