Hall Of Famer Lenny Wilkens Dies At Age 88

NBA legend Lenny Wilkens, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, died Sunday inside his home at age 88.

Lenny Wilkens Made NBA History As Player, Coach

Wilkens was one of only five men to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as both player and coach, joining John Wooden, Bill Sharman, Tom Heinsohn, and Bill Russell.

A 6-foot-1 point guard, Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star and two-time assists champion across his 15-year playing career. He averaged 16.5 points, 6.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 35.3 minutes in 1077 games.

The Brooklyn native finished second in MVP voting during the 1967-68 season.

Wilkens was also a player-coach for four seasons, three with the Seattle SuperSonics and one with the Portland Trail Blazers, before transitioning into a full-time coach.

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He led the Sonics to the 1979 NBA title and was Coach of the Year in 1994.

“It lets people know Seattle has rich history,” Wilkens told The Seattle Times in 2022 on what was proclaimed “Lenny Wilkens Day.”

“I’m so happy to be a part of that history. This is basketball country. We should have never lost our team and I hope that this helps in some way get another team back. Everywhere I go, people talk about the Sonics and about that time when we won a championship. I don’t think that team gets the credit that it deserves. Gus [Williams], Fred [Brown], Jack [Sikma], and all of those guys became a part of this community and most of them still live here. It was a wonderful time.”

Wilkens Won Third-Most Games In NBA History As Coach

Wilkens won 1,332 games — third most all time — as coach of the Sonics, Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, and New York Knicks before he retired in 2005.

He holds the NBA record for most games coached (2,487). His teams made the playoffs in 20 of his 32 seasons as a head coach, per Basketball Reference.

In addition to serving as head coach of the NBA All-Star Game four times, Wilkins also won an Olympic gold medal as coach of the 1996 U.S. team.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement after learning of Wilkens’ death:

“Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA — as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, and one of the game’s most respected ambassadors,” Silver said. “So much so that, four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.

“But even more impressive than Lenny’s basketball accomplishments, which included two Olympic gold medals and an NBA championship, was his commitment to service — especially in his beloved community of Seattle where a statue stands in his honor. He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches who considered Lenny not only a great teammate or coach but also an extraordinary mentor who led with integrity and true class.

“I send my heartfelt condolences to Lenny’s wife Marilyn; their children, Leesha, Randy and Jamee; and all those throughout the NBA community who were fortunate to be touched by Lenny’s leadership and generosity.”