The former NBA player and coach, Lenny Wilkens has died at the age of 88.
A family source reported on Monday that Wilkens, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame three times as both a player and a coach passed away on Sunday, U.S. time.
The family stated that he was surrounded by loved ones at the time of his death, but did not disclose the cause of his death or the location where he passed away.
Before his passing, Wilkens was recognized as one of the top point guards of his time, later transitioning to coaching, where he showcased his calm demeanor and strategic insight, first as a player-coach and then as a highly respected coach.
He holds the record for coaching 2,487 NBA games. Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player, as a coach, and as an assistant coach for the renowned 1992 U.S. Olympic team, which won gold at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
“Lenny Wilkens embodied the pinnacle of the NBA both as a Hall of Fame player and coach, and as one of the sport’s most esteemed ambassadors,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Sunday.
“In fact, four years ago, Lenny was honored as one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.”
Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star during his playing career, the first coach to achieve 1,000 wins in the NBA, and the second individual to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.
He led the Seattle SuperSonics to an NBA championship in 1979 and remained a legendary figure in Seattle, often regarded as a godfather of basketball in the city, which lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008 and has been striving to regain an NBA team since.
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Wilkens was named the NBA Coach of the Year in 1994, while with Atlanta, and retired with 1,332 coaching victories a record that was later surpassed by Don Nelson (1,335) and Gregg Popovich (1,390).
Over his 15-season playing career, Wilkens played for the St. Louis Hawks, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers.
He was selected as an NBA All-Star five times with St. Louis, three times with Seattle, and once with Cleveland in 1973 at the age of 35. A statue commemorating his time with the SuperSonics was unveiled outside Climate Pledge Arena in June.
Wilkens’ achievements as a player alone would have warranted Hall of Fame consideration, but his coaching success and longevity solidified his legacy.
He received numerous accolades throughout his career, including induction into the FIBA Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the College Basketball Hall of Fame, the Providence Hall of Fame, and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Wall of Honor.
His coaching career included two tenures in Seattle totaling 11 seasons, two seasons in Portland during which he still played and averaged 18 minutes per game and seven seasons in Cleveland.
