I’m pleased today to announce that we have made the decision to name the new basketball coach for the Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Iavaroni. Marc comes to us with a tremendous background, coaching with some of the top coaches in the NBA, guys like Pat Riley and (Mike) D’Antoni. He’s has tremendous experience in the NBA He comes with tremendous recommendations. Jerry West was extremely high on Marc. He urged to very strongly consider him. We interviewed four or five people and we felt that Marc, with his background, with his personality, and some of his coaching philosophy, we felt that he would be the best guy for a young, upcoming Grizzly team. I am pleased that Marc has accepted to join us. I assure you he had a number of people that had expressed an interest in him as a possible coach. We are very fortunate to have him.

I just wanted to say that it’s an honor to be up here with Mr. Heisley. There are only so many jobs in the NBA and I feel privileged that he was heavily involved in the process. That meant a lot to me, his direct contact with me. Jerry West is someone I grew up watching and admiring. I am looking forward to collaborating with both of these gentlemen because they are obviously committed to winning and I am happy that they feel that I’m going to be a part of that.

What was the selling point to take this job here in Memphis?

Marc Iavaroni: I thought, frankly, that this was the best situation from a talent point of view, from an organizational point of view. I felt that, from the top, they were interested in forming a partnership. The partnership concept was very, very important to me. I thought the talent level here, young, energetic, fits the type of basketball that I’ll be looking to instill here. I believe that there is a lot of speed in this court. I believe that they have the ability to attack defensively. That is going to be important in terms of what we are trying to do. It is going to be a point of emphasis. I also like the youth of Kyle (Lowry), Hakim (Warrick) and Rudy (Gay). I think that they are integral parts of the future.

Is there any concern that there is isn’t a new GM yet?

Marc Iavaroni: I felt that the smoothness and the thoroughness that they found me would also be a component of how they searched for a general manager. I’m very confident in the process and we’ve had solid discussions already. We’ll continue to speak about that.

You’ve learned from some great coaches. How much will you take from them in developing your own style?

Marc Iavaroni: First of all, I made the league and played in the league because I was defensively oriented. I was a player who knew how to play well with others or else I would not have a job. I played under some very honest coaches who would tell me what’s going on and I would know what their decisions were; guys like Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley and Mike D’Antoni. I could go right down the list but I don’t want to exclude anybody. It’s very important that you are honest with players and they understand what you need and your expectations. That never stops. That is a daily thing. They want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, hopefully.

Do you a sense of the kind of basketball that you want to play?

Marc Iavaroni: We want to attack the opponent. We want to make sure that the opponent is feeling uncomfortable. We want to bring out the energy, the talent, the athleticism that we have in our players. We want them to play instinctively. They can’t do that unless it’s simple. I’ll be a simplicity and execution coach. We’re not going to try to fool the opponent that much, maybe after a time out. We are going to execute and we are going to establish a very strong, helping out, man to man defense. We are going to build from there. We are going to try to attack on offense in the first part of the shot clock. I want to make sure that we are attacking before the defense is set. At the same time we want to make sure that we are setting our defense as quickly as possible. That is an area that we always emphasized in Phoenix. I felt like we always got a lot of publicity about our fastbreak but I don’t think we got a lot of credit for our fastbreak defense. It was top 10, probably six or eight in the league and that was very important to us.

This is a fan base that is looking to grab onto something positive. What would you tell the fans to get them excited about your hire and your leadership?

Marc Iavaroni: First of all, I’ve always had enthusiasm and passion for the game. We already have that in Mr. Heisley, and we are going to instill that in these young men, and Pau (Gasol) and Mike Miller, our veteran core, which is a nice blend. We are going to instill in them a passion for winning, and what comes along with that is a passion for preparation and a passion for honest competition. When I say honest competition; you compete in a drill, you compete in a scrimmage, you compete in a preseason game, you compete in one minute or in 41 minutes. That’s going to be a trademark of our team and we are going to instill that in everything we do on and off the court. We want the community to see that passion on the floor and to see that passion with fans and as many soon to be fans as possible.

Your name has come up with a lot of jobs around the league. When you consulted with people around the league, what were the positives about taking this job?

Marc Iavaroni: You have to start with Pau Gasol. He’s a superstar and a world champion. He’s someone who, when we prepared for the Memphis Grizzlies, he was always a major concern to us. I think that any team that is destined to be a great team has to have an anchor. He’s going to be our anchor until something changes. I’m not worried about that. I want to make sure that that is very important to our team. From there, we are going to blend our talent of veterans and rookies, and we have an asset with the number four pick in the draft, we’ll put that all together and see what we have. We have to make an impression on them on how hard we are working and that we believe in them.

What changes do you see coming to this team? How will you put your stamp on it?

Marc Iavaroni: It’s very early in the process. Today is just the press conference and until my employer changes I’m always loyal to that team. Today we’ve had some initial discussions but frankly it’s a little too early to decide what needs to be done. That’s going to take the teamwork of everyone; Jerry (West), Mr. Heisley, Tony Barone and his staff, and everyone else in the organization.

What do you see in Pau to be able to develop him and take him to that next level?

Marc Iavaroni: Pau speaks for himself. He’s a world champion and he knows what it takes to win. He wants to win. I’m very anxious to sit down and talk to him and listen to him. I want to let him know that I’m going to listen to players and we’ll find out if they have the same passion for winning that I do, then I’ll be a great listener. I think Pau has to realize he has to be willing to change or upgrade his game and be open to feedback. He has to improvements and doing whatever it takes to win. Obviously, he’s a great scorer inside. He puts some very good numbers up on the board every night and defenses are going to have to adjust to him. We have to make sure our team is playing well off of him, with good spacing, so that he is allowed to score and grow and pass and to make plays.

You have talked about Pau being the centerpiece of the team and to build around him. Pau has asked for a trade, and somewhat rescinded that. Do you assume, going forward, that Pau is going to be here?

Marc Iavaroni: From what I understand that whole situation has already been resolved. Anything that occurred in the past is not as much my concern. Anything that occurred was born out of his desire to win. I haven’t forgotten my playing days when I wanted to win and I didn’t agree with every decision but I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that I was on board and I’m sure that Pau is.

You mentioned the number four pick. Can you talk about what that pick means to the franchise and what you’ll be looking at come draft day?

Marc Iavaroni: I need to sit down with our scouts. I sat down for a little bit with the scouts in Phoenix. I’m usually a part of that process. Obviously, with this draft, it’s a very deep draft. The number four pick is going to be an exceptional prospect. At minimum, it’s going to be someone that is a great asset. We’re going to have to integrate that with our formula for moving forward.

When you were with Phoenix, how did you prepare for the Grizzlies? Give us a scouting report.

Marc Iavaroni: It started with making sure that Pau wasn’t going crazy inside. He’s a great scorer. We also had to make sure, the team that presented itself in the second half of the season, did not get a lot of easy points. They did have speed and they did have the desire to score in transition. We had to make sure they didn’t get anything easy. Mike Miller was always a threat to us because of his shooting ability and we had to do everything in our power to restrict his looks and he still scored. Overall, it was important that we respected Memphis. We knew they had the talent to beat us. They had beaten us in the past. We were going to go to our major weapons in Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire and see how they adjusted.

You talked about the younger guys in Kyle Lowry and Hakim Warrick. What did you see in them and do you think the team needs another point guard with a guy like Lowry who they drafted pretty high last year?

Marc Iavaroni: Depending on which pundit you speak to, it’s difficult to tell. Kyle played in a handful of games last year. The organization has been very high on him for good reasons. They did their homework on him and as long as we are healthy I think we’re going to have a great chance, not only with him, but with the team. Hakim Warrick I know from summer camps out in Las Vegas. I’ve always been impressed with him, number one, as an individual. He’s very committed to the game and to improvement. I thought you saw results. I thought he was one of the most improved players in the league. He has things he needs to work on. He needs to get a little bigger and stronger. His jump shot is underrated. He did some things against us in our game here that, frankly, I didn’t know he was capable of doing. I’m looking forward to that. I coached against Rudy Gay in the Rookie/Sophomore game. He’s a ‘wow’ guy. Amare Stoudemire is a ’wow’ guy. He does things that other people are not capable of doing. Obviously you can see why Jerry felt so highly about him to make the trade. He’s only scratched the surface in terms of skills and understanding the pro game and rightly so. He’s a young player and I’m really looking forward to working with him.

Is it fair to say you are bringing a spin on the Suns system? Can you do it without Steve Nash?

Marc Iavaroni: Mike D’Antoni helped me so much and so have the Phoenix players. I was also very fortunate to have a seven year career with four different coaches and coach under four different coaches. I had the opportunity to blend what I learned as a role player on a championship team to do what I had to do to help them achieve that. Now as a coach, you have to remember that I’ve been in many different systems, but you have to feel very strongly about what you’re trying to do. You have to have the players to back that up and they have to match and work well together. We’re going to run. It’s how we run. It has to start with the defense. I think that has to be an emphasis from day one. I think it takes care of a lot of things regarding fast break organization and early flow and getting into offense early. I think when it comes time to execute; you’ve got to be able to do that. You have to be a versatile team, not only personnel regarding traditional lineups and smaller lineups, but also with our schemes. I think we have to know that this is a night when we go to certain strengths and this is a time during the season where we can’t run as much as Phoenix. We have to run it a different way, much like San Antonio, where they can do both. I think you have to a little bit of a chameleon out there.

How different will it be dealing with players as a head coach?

Marc IavaroniIt’s going to be very different. I’m going to be the guy they give the hammer to. I have to handle the minutes. I have to feel who respects what we are trying to do. I have to carry that out. Much different as an assistant. It’s very important, and we’re going to be collaborating on this with Mr. Heisley and Mr. West, to bring a staff here that is very highly qualified and understands what they need to do, so that I can move forward in my philosophies. It all starts with having great people around you.

How close do you think this team is to returning to where it was? How do you sell this franchise to a free agent?

Marc IavaroniAny free agent has to see is that this team and organization has a chance to win. I feel that we’ve got a great core here. Two years ago they won 49 games. Last year I don’t think you can really grade because of the injuries. I’d like to look at that more as a blip on the screen. That’s why this job was very appealing to me.

Do you have an understanding of who your boss is going to be? What is your understanding of the general manager position?

Marc Iavaroni: That process is still being enacted. It is behind this timetable. I’ve been assured that I will be privy to that process. I will have some discussions and it will be important what I think. At the same time it will not be my decision. I feel that I can work with anyone. I feel that people already know what Mr. Heisley is looking for in a basketball team.

What is the timetable in bringing in a staff?

Marc Iavaroni: Once I get back to Phoenix and get my wits about me, I’ve had some conversations but I also want to confer with the Memphis Grizzlies personnel people and Mr. Heisley and Jerry West. We want to come to a consensus and what are needs will be. Then we’ll move forward.

How do you plan on mentally handling the performance of your team?

Marc Iavaroni: Number one, I think you have to be positive, whether they are millionaires and professional players or whether they are youth sports players. I think players always respond to positive input. I think they want to hear what they can do, what they are capable of, how hard work will bring those things. They also want to hear how they can get better. I want to tell them like it is but I also want to let them know that I’ve seen the progress they’ve made and I’ve seen potentially, what they are able to do. Be positive, being a good listener is always important, and letting them see that there is always something bigger than themselves that is involved.

Will you push for David Griffith from the Phoenix Suns to come here?

Marc Iavaroni: I know David very well. He’s highly intelligent and bright guy. I don’t think it would be fair to him to comment on it. It’s early in the process and also, he is a member of the Phoenix Suns right now.

Michael Heisley: I’ve had a conversation, yes. I’m going out of the country until June 10, and when I get back that week I will announce some organizational appointments, including the general manager. I’m going to hold that decision off at least until we get within a day of the press conference.

How happy are you with Marc Iavaroni?

Michael Heisley: I’m extremely happy. I think Marc was definitely, without any question, one of the two top people we looked at. After we went through our process, and gave thought to it, he was the number one candidate that we wanted. He made an answer earlier that I think was one of the most telling about him. I think we need, with our team and its youth, we need the type of coaching style that he mentioned; positive reinforcement. I think that made a big impression on me. I don’t think that it’s just words. From the ten people or so that I checked with, that’s his personality, that’s his style. That is extremely important to the Memphis Grizzlies at this stage. I think with a younger team it’s even more important because their psyche is more fragile and I think that Marc is going to be the perfect blend.

Could you put into words the legacy that Jerry West will leave behind?

Michael Heisley: When I hired Jerry and we had conversations before he joined, he asked me why I thought he should come to Memphis. I said to Jerry that I thought that Memphis could be the last crown jewel in his crown. I thought that we gave him the best opportunity to do that, and I still believe that. I think that Memphis has been a tremendous crown in Jerry West’s career. You have to understand that when he got here, in less than 18 months, he took a team that had never won much more than 20 games, to the playoffs for three years in a row. He won 50 games. He’s the guy that brought in Hubie Brown when I don’t think anyone in America would have even thought of Hubie Brown, much less brought him in. Jerry made a major impression on this organization, making three playoffs, in the time that he did, starting from where he started, I was in Chicago, with all the history and fan base they have, it took them nine years to get back in the playoffs. It took Jerry West 18 months. As I said to him, ‘Jerry, I don’t know if we can get to the championship, but I don’t think the people of Memphis realize that getting to the playoffs for three years, just how hard that really is.’ You sit around and look at it, Golden State got to the playoffs this year and they did a great job and I take my hat off to them. It took them over 11 years to get to the playoffs. I think this is one of Jerry’s greatest accomplishments. I think this will be another jewel in his crown. I was pleased to work with him. He’s a good friend and more than that, he’s a spectacular individual, and he’s a genius when it comes to the NBA. He has 40 some years in this league and virtually everyone would tell you about his integrity. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but 45 years, that is a tough job. I think you have to say what people think about him, that is what he is. You can’t get away with that for 40 years. He basically speaks his mind to everyone, to David Stern, you name it. He’s a unique guy and he’s very committed. I worried about him this last year. It was extremely difficult for him. He cannot stand to lose. I used to say that I can’t stand to lose. I’m not even in his universe when it comes to not wanting to lose. It was a tough year and I’m sorry that he had made his plans to retire at the end of this year. I asked him to stay on after his original contract. He did it as a service to me and I’m eternally grateful. There’s not too much I can’t say in appreciation to Jerry West.

How much freedom will the new GM have to spend the available cap room?

Michael Heisley: We’re going to run this team the way we’ve run this team. We’re not going to have a 60-something million dollar payroll. I think there has to be some balance. We have cap room and I think that if you have the right person you will find that I’m just as enthusiastic about getting him as the coach and GM. History will show that spending money does not mean that you will get a tremendous benefit out of it. I think you can look at a team like the New York Knicks, and they are not unique, but they are a team that has spent a lot of money and have not benefited from it. We need to get a GM that will work with Marc. Marc is going to have a lot of say in it. I want to make sure that the organization that we have works together. I want to start out with that blend. I don’t want the best GM in the world, the best coach in the world and the best financial guy and have them all be individuals. I want to have three guys that can work together. When I’m looking at who that is going to be, obviously I thought the coaching job was the most important to start with. I want to know if Marc can work with the GM very very well.

Are you re-energized to the franchise after the bad luck in the lottery?

Michael Heisley: I don’t appreciate the lottery the way it is set up. I appreciate it less now. We should understand that we weren’t unlucky. Since the NBA, in its wisdom, started this lottery, the worst team in the NBA has won the first pick three times in 18 years. That means our chances were about 16%. Reality is, the number five pick has won the first or second pick, more than any other pick. I was not shocked. When you have a 16% chance, if you think that is bad luck, you should go to Las Vegas because they’ll give you better odds than that. My reaction is that we weren’t unlucky. We got what was statically, more likely to happen. We got what we were deemed to get. The problem is that we think the worst record will give you some leg up on getting the best draft pick, that is because the other professional leagues let the worst teams pick first. I don’t have much love for that system. I’m not saying that out of sour grapes. I’m saying that because it doesn’t make sense. The team that needed that pick more than anyone else is the Memphis Grizzlies. We need to re-energize our franchise. Portland won it. Last year they were the worst team and they got the fourth. I don’t know what the answer is. My guess is that now that we got the fourth pick, they’ll do away with the spectacular lottery. The beautiful part of this is that this is considered the best draft in the past ten years or longer. We’ll get a great pick. History shows that the fourth pick might be the best pick. Michael Jordan was the third pick and I think Chicago did pretty good. I could give you a lot of other situations. We just have to do our job and get the right players and then use those players. I think we have a great young team. When you’re at home with your kids, you always notice the bad things they are doing; you don’t notice the good things. But the neighbors look over and see that you have spectacular kids. In Memphis, you always have a tendency to look at what’s wrong with your players, not what is right with them. We had a rough season last year. People were disappointed. I was disappointed. I think that we are going to have a different season this year and a different type of brand of basketball. I urge everyone to support us. I’ve always said that the fans do not owe the franchise anything. The fans have no obligation to show up. We are going to do our best to get the fans to come back. We’re going to try to win and hope to win the fans back. That’s the American way. We like winners. I’m re-energized. I’m anxious to get going. I’m not like a lot of owners in the NBA. I don’t’ believe in stepping in and telling the professionals who to select, what offense to run, why they aren’t doing their jobs. I pick the guys, and then I let them make the decisions. I think Jerry would tell you that there was virtually no decision that he wanted to make that he didn’t get the green light to make. We had a great relationship. I tried to hire the best mind in basketball and then let him do his job. I hired Jerry West. I got to the playoffs three years in a row. I’m trying to get the best coach. I’m trying to get the best GM to work with that coach, and put an organization together that’s going to do it. I’m not going to be Mark Cuban. I’m not going to be the focal point. It’s not my style.