November 13, 2025
‘Lenny Wilkens stood for the best possible of the NBA– as a Corridor of Fame participant, Corridor of Fame prepare, and one of many recreation’s most valued ambassadors,’ acknowledged NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Well-known former NBA gamer and coach Lenny Wilkens is useless on the age of 88
In line with NBA.com, the household of Wilkens introduced to the globe on Nov. 9 that he had handed away. Wilkens, who invested a part of his enjoying job and the majority of his teaching job with the Seattle SuperSonics (the franchise moved to Oklahoma Metropolis in 2008 and is now often known as the Thunder), was acknowledged by the NBA in a video printed on social media.
The legend was bordered by family members when he handed away, and no purpose of fatality has truly been launched. The 88 -year-old has the excellence of being preserved within the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame 3 instances, as a gamer, a coach, and as an assistant coach on the 1992 United state Olympic basketball squad, a lot better often known as “The Dream Staff” that included NBA players for the primary time within the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver launched a declaration:
“Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA– as a Corridor of Reputation participant, Corridor of Reputation teacher, and among the many online game’s most valued ambassadors. Loads to be sure that, 4 years in the past, Lenny acquired the distinctive distinction of being known as among the many group’s 75 largest gamers and 15 largest trains of perpetuity.
“But much more excellent than Lenny’s basketball achievements, that included two Olympic gold medals and an NBA champion, was his dedication to service– significantly in his beloved neighborhood of Seattle, the place a statue stands in his honor. He influenced the lives of many youths in addition to generations of gamers and coaches who took into consideration Lenny not solely a superb teammate or coach nonetheless moreover a tremendous mentor that led with stability and true class.”
No one has coached extra NBA video games than Wilkens, that has the document of doing it for two, 487 video games. After successful the 1994 NBA Prepare of the 12 months Award whereas main the Atlanta Hawks, he relinquished mentoring with 1, 332 success. That was a league document that was afterward surpassed by Don Nelson (1, 335 and Gregg Popovich (1,390
He skilled the SuperSonics for 11 seasons (two separate stints, successful the champion in 1979, the Portland Path Blazers for two seasons, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Hawks for seven seasons, the Toronto Raptors for 3 durations, previous to ending his coaching occupation with the New York Knicks after main them for elements of two durations.
As a participant, the New York Metropolis-born and elevated Wilkens performed 15 durations after being ready by the St. Louis Hawks. He then guess the SuperSonics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Portland Route Blazers. The nine-time All-Star got here to be the preliminary particular person to have truly received 1, 000 video games as an NBA prepare and was the second particular person sworn in proper into the Basketball Corridor of Reputation as a gamer and coach
Wilkens was just lately honored with a sculpture exterior Local weather Pledge Area in June.
He’s endured by his different half, Marilyn; their youngsters, Leesha, Randy, and Jamee; and seven grandchildren.
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