MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Damon Stoudamire, an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies the past two years, has been recommended to join the Memphis men’s basketball coaching staff, head coach Josh Pastner announced Tuesday. Stoudamire’s hiring is pending approval of the University and Tennessee State Board of Regents.

VIDEO | Interviews with Damon Stoudamire, Coach Josh Pastner

“I have said many times about finding the right fit with our assistant positions, and Damon is one of those,” said Pastner. “Damon played and coached at the highest level of basketball in the world, and that experience will help our program immediately.”

Damon’s basketball accolades speak for themselves. He will be a great mentor to the student-athletes in our program, and we’re excited to have him join the Memphis Tigers family.”

Stoudamire comes to the Tigers program after completing his second season as an assistant for the Memphis Grizzlies. This past year, Stoudamire helped direct the Grizzlies to their most successful season in the organization’s history.

Memphis finished the 2010-11 regular season with a 46-36 record and tied for third place in the NBA’s Southwest Division. The Grizzlies, though, shocked the nation with their magical playoff run that caught the Bluff City by storm. Memphis, the Western Conference No. 8 seed, upset No. 1 seed San Antonio 4-2 in the playoffs opening round, and then took No. 4 seed Oklahoma City to seven games, before dropping the hard-fought series 4-3.

In Stoudamire’s first season in Memphis in 2009-10, the Grizzlies just missed making the playoffs with a 40-42 overall record. Despite no postseason, Stoudamire was a member of the coaching staff that guided the Grizzlies to a 16-game turnaround from the previous year (24-58 record in 2008-09). Stoudamire also coached Memphis summer league squad during the NBA’s 2010 Summer League in Las Vegas.

Prior to his joining the Grizzlies staff, Stoudamire was the director of player development for the Rice Owls basketball program under head coach Ben Braun for the 2008-09 campaign.

“I’m looking forward to joining the Memphis Tigers basketball family,” said Stoudamire. “I’ve been looking to get back to the college game for awhile, and this was a chance I couldn’t pass on. I am thankful for this opportunity, and I’m ready to get to work with Coach Pastner and his staff to help the Tigers reach their goal – which is every college program’s goal – of winning a national championship.”

Memphis Tigers Head Basketball Coach Josh Pastner is not known for making quick decisions when it comes to his coaching staff.

“I really want to make sure I get the right guy. That’s important to me,” said Pastner about his search for a new Assistant Head Coach.

But, after interviewing Memphis Grizzlies Assistant Coach Damon Stoudamire, it took less than a week for Coach Pastner to make a decision.

Stoudamire has been in Memphis since 2005, first as a player with the team, then as an assistant. In 2010, he coached Memphis’ summer league squad.

Stoudamire is no stranger to college coaching. In December of 2008 he accepted a coaching position as Director of Player Development at Rice University.

The former NBA star has also proven himself off the court as well. In 2007, Stoudamire gave 100 kids from the Memphis Athletic Ministries gift cards to purchase clothing, toys and needed household items.

“I grew up in a single parent home. (It’s) my way of giving back,” he said.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Dave Joerger is set to meet with the Houston Rockets next week about joining their revamped staff.

Memphis granted Houston permission Friday to talk to Joerger, who has been with the Grizzlies for four years, about being a top assistant in charge of defense under Kevin McHale.

The Rockets showed interest in Joerger a day after Grizzlies assistant coach Damon Stoudamire met with University of Memphis officials about joining the men’s basketball staff.

Memphis general manager Chris Wallace told the Commercial Appeal in a report late Saturday he hopes to keep the coaching staff together.

Joerger served as head coach of the 2006-07 NBA D-League Champion Dakota Wizards. The title was the fifth he won as a head coach, including one International Basketball Association title and three Continental Basketball Association championships.

HOUSTON – NBA sources confirmed for FOX 26 Sports the Houston Rockets will meet this week with Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Dave Joerger.

The Rockets received permission from Memphis to meet with Joerger as they work to fill new head coach Kevin McHales’s staff.

Joerger has been on the Grizzlies’ staff for four years.

Prior to his stint in Memphis, Joerger won the NBA Development League championship in 2007 with the Dakota Wizards.

With one coaching search complete, the Rockets will open another this week.

Seeking a lead assistant to Kevin McHale to run the defense and help with day-to-day preparations, the Rockets will interview Memphis Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger this week, a person familiar with the process said. The interview is not yet scheduled.

The Rockets will also consider New Orleans Hornets assistant Michael Malone and Milwaukee Bucks assistant Kelvin Sampson, the individual familiar with the process said. Malone is considered a top candidate to join Mike Brown with the Los Angeles Lakers as a lead assistant. He had been on Brown’s staff in Cleveland before joining Monty Williams in New Orleans this season.

Joerger and Malone were on the initial list of candidates to interview for the Rockets’ head coaching position but were not interviewed before the club chose to consider only candidates with NBA head coaching experience. Sampson was among the first coaching candidates interviewed.

Joerger had led five minor league teams to championships, most recently taking the Dakota Wizards to the 2006-07 NBA Development League championship before moving to the Grizzlies as part of Marc Iavaroni’s staff.

He has been with the Grizzlies for four seasons and was credited for much of the improvement of the Memphis defense this season.

“I think one day he will be a head coach,” said Rockets guard Kyle Lowry, who was with Joeger with the Grizzlies. “I’d love to have him on the Rockets bench.”

Golden State Warriors assistant Jerry Sichting could be a logical choice. A teammate of McHale’s on the Boston Celtics’ 1986 championship team, he was part of the staff during McHale’s coaching stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

jonathan.feigen@chron.com