Jenkins is the Bucks' new head coach. Here's a brief look into what he brings to the table.
The Milwaukee Bucks didn't waste time. Just a few short days after parting ways with Doc Rivers, the Bucks landed their man. Taylor Jenkins is finalizing a deal to become Milwaukee's next head coach, replacing Rivers after three seasons.
For a franchise that's been a coaching carousel since Mike Budenholzer left in 2023, the speed and decisiveness of this hire says something. But who exactly is Taylor Jenkins? Bucks fans are about to find out.
Jenkins isn't new to Milwaukee. He spent the 2018-19 season as an assistant under Budenholzer, part of a Bucks team that posted an NBA-best 60-22 record before falling to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Feb 2, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins looks on during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn ImagesFrom Assistant to Head Coach
That year gave Jenkins a front-row seat to elite organization-building, and it gave him familiarity with an already-dominant Giannis Antetokounmpo. Before Milwaukee, Jenkins spent five years as an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks under Budenholzer.
So by the time Memphis came calling in 2019, he had nearly a decade of high-level NBA assistant experience behind him. The Grizzlies hired him the same year they drafted Ja Morant with the second overall pick, handing Jenkins one of the most promising young rosters in the league and asking him to build something.
He did exactly that. Jenkins went 250-214 over six seasons with the Grizzlies, leading them to three straight playoff appearances from 2021 to 2023 and reaching the second round in 2022.
His 250 wins are the most in Grizzlies franchise history. He took a team with zero postseason expectations and turned them into one of the most exciting young rosters in basketball.
Apr 3, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins calls a play in the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn ImagesWhat He Built in Memphis
The ending was jarring. Memphis fired him with a 44-29 record and nine games left in the 2024-25 season, playoff-bound and seemingly in control. Jenkins spent the entire 2025-26 season away from coaching. Shams Charania described him as the "top available commodity" in the coaching market heading into this offseason.
What makes Jenkins a fit here goes beyond his record. His familiarity with Antetokounmpo gives Milwaukee a path forward in either direction, whether that's retooling around Giannis or rebuilding if the Greek Freak moves on. He's done both.
He knows how to develop young players, and he knows how to maximize a superstar. That flexibility is exactly what this front office needed heading into one of the most consequential offseasons in franchise history.
Milwaukee finished 32-50 this season, missing the playoffs and ending a nine-year postseason streak. The rebuild (or retool) starts now. And Taylor Jenkins is the one running it.