David Cobb | Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Memphis Grizzlies announced Milwaukee Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins as their new head coach on Tuesday, bringing an end to a two-month coaching search that officially began the day after the season ended.

Jenkins, 34, is regarded as a sharp basketball mind and relentless worker who embraced analytics on a climb that brought him from San Antonio Spurs intern to Grizzlies head coach in just over a decade.

“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," Grizzlies executive vice president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman said in a news release.

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Memphis Grizzlies head coaches 2001-present

Jenkins holds a degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and counts Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder and Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer among his mentors. Of the 30 NBA head coaches, only Minnesota Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders, 33, is younger.

Jenkins, who did not play basketball beyond high school, spent this past season on Budenholzer's staff in Milwaukee, helping the team to a 60-22 record and an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals.

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“I think Taylor brings a really, really great competitive spirit to everything he does," Budenholzer told the USA TODAY Network on Tuesday. "He’s such a genuine, real — he’s fiery, he’s competitive. I think Memphis is going to appreciate that, his players are going to appreciate that, the organization, the fans."

Before his stint in Milwaukee, Jenkins worked five seasons on Budenholzer's staff in Atlanta and spent a season as head coach of the Austin Toros (now the G-League's Austin Spurs).

His promotion to Austin head coach for the 2012-13 season followed stints there as an assistant under Snyder and current Memphis Hustle coach Brad Jones.

Jenkins' entrance to the NBA came through an internship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2006 after a family member helped him connect with the franchise's leadership. He returned for the 2007-08 season as a basketball operations intern and shifted to an assistant coaching role with the Spurs' developmental franchise from there.

Jenkins immediately faces key decisions

By hiring him Tuesday, the Grizzlies have positioned Jenkins to be involved in several key decisions to be made over the coming weeks.

The first of those decisions belongs to Jonas Valanciunas and is arriving Thursday. That's when the 27-year-old center must decide if he is opting in to the final year of his contract with the Grizzlies.

Next Thursday, the Grizzlies own the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. Though they are widely expected to pick Ja Morant, the hiring of Jenkins means the new coach will be part of the draft process.

John Amis, AP

The team is also playing in two summer league events in July as free agency begins.

Looming through all the key upcoming decisions is that the Grizzlies are expected to explore trade options for point guard Mike Conley over the summer.

Memphis had been looking for a new head coach since firing J.B. Bickerstaff following the end of a 2018-19 season that began with promise but ended with a 33-49 record.

The Grizzlies have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons after making it to the postseason for seven consecutive years.

Jenkins becomes the franchise's fifth head coach since owner Robert Pera acquired the team in 2012 and the first hired under a revamped front office led by Kleiman.

Kleiman's search involved several candidates, including three with ties to Snyder and Budenholzer.

Ultimately, it landed on Jenkins, who will be introduced during a press conference on Wednesday at FedExForum.

"I think he’ll bring a very clear vision of what he wants," Budenholzer said, "and he’ll be able to communicate and articulate and teach the players very clearly what he wants defensively, what he wants offensively and still allow players to make plays and have freedom within his vision, within what he wants for them.”