NASHVILLE — The Memphis Grizzlies conducted their second day of practice on Sept. 30 at Belmont University’s Crockett Center, with three NBA officials on hand to provide insight into the league’s points of emphasis for the 2026-27 season.
The NBA has shown multiple videos over the past two days highlighting areas officials will stress this season. Among them are flopping, offensive off-arm push-offs and freedom of movement on the perimeter and in the post.
For the Grizzlies, having officials available in person provided an opportunity for players and coaches to ask questions and gain clarity on how those rules will be enforced.
“I think it’s a really good indicator,” coach Tuomas Iisalo said. “… That is a big plus for us. We can stop and ask certain
things, or post-practice clear up some of the terminology you hear.”
Welcoming the officials
Zach Edey, Jahmai Mashack, Cam Boozer and Walter Clayton Jr. were seen having extended conversations with officials during the media viewing portion of practice.
What those players have in common is their relative lack of NBA experience. None has played more than 66 career NBA games, making those conversations particularly valuable as they learn how officials will call the game.
Cedric Coward is another young player who fits into that category. Coward, a wing known for willingly crashing the glass, had a notable moment in practice when he was called for an over-the-back foul.
He also discussed defending ball screens and how officials will emphasize contact in those situations.
“It’s just making sure you can do as much as you can to your advantage without getting on their radar,” Coward said.
Ty Jerome is one of the Grizzlies’ more experienced players when it comes to dealing with officials. He averaged a career-high 3.7 free-throw attempts in 15 games last season.
Jerome pointed to angles, changing pace and picking spots offensively as areas where he believes teammates can use their understanding of officiating to their advantage.
“The last two years I would say I’m pretty savvy at that stuff,” Jerome said. “I definitely watch guys do that and it’s definitely something I work on.”
Defense wins the day
The depth of the Grizzlies’ rosterhas made it more difficult to highlight individual standouts during training camp. On the second day, it was the defense that caught Iisalo’s attention.
Iisalo pointed out how the defense made things difficult for the offense, which he viewed as a positive. Now, the offense has to find ways to counter that pressure.
Jerome and Coward both pointed to the effort and energy the defense played with. Coward said players were diving for loose balls and showing a willingness to do the dirty work.
“The pressure we’re causing (and) just the intensity,” Coward said. “It’s causing the offense to be out of rhythm and just out of sync. Offense is about timing. … If you’re able to put that pressure on them, if you’re able to at least stop them from making an entry pass or whatever it is, it kind of messes the whole offense up.”
Controlling the chaos
One issue the Grizzlies struggled with last season was playing under control while trying to maintain a fast pace. Memphis finished 20th in the NBA last season with 15 turnovers per game.
Iisalo has recognized the issue, and a major emphasis on Sept. 30 was finding the balance between playing fast and maintaining structure.
The Grizzlies have all of their point guards available for practice, which should help. But controlling the pace while maintaining proper spacing will remain a key area to monitor for a team that wants to play among the fastest in the NBA.
“It’s one of the hardest — to not only play with pace, but also end up in the spacings that we need so that one defender can’t guard two,” Iisalo said. “And then out of those spaces, create advantages and recognize that in the flow of the game.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Why defense is standing out, NBA officials visiting Grizzlies practice
