Lenny Wilkens, the Hall of Fame icon who achieved the rare distinction of being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, has died, his family announced Sunday. He was 88.
Wilkens, who was often referred to as the “godfather of Seattle basketball,” was surrounded by loved ones when he died. A cause of death was not immediately released.
A nine-time NBA All-Star during a 15-season playing career, Wilkens cemented his legacy on the sideline, retiring as one of the league’s winningest coaches.
His defining moment came in 1979 when he led the Seattle SuperSonics to their only NBA championship, cementing his status as a beloved figure in the Pacific Northwest. He coached the SuperSonics over two separate stints, in addition to leading the Portland Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, and New York Knicks.
Wilkens became the first person in NBA history to reach 1,000 wins as a coach, retiring with 1,332 career victories, a total that ranked first at the time. He was named the NBA Coach of the Year in 1994 while with the Atlanta Hawks.
In recognition of his widespread impact, Wilkens was named one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players in 1996 and one of its 10 Greatest Coaches. He is a three-time Hall of Fame inductee, earning his third nod in 2010 as an assistant coach for the 1992 U.S. Olympic “Dream Team.” He later coached the 1996 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in Atlanta.
Born Leonard Randolph Wilkens on Oct. 28, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York, he played college basketball at Providence before being drafted sixth overall by the St. Louis Hawks in the 1960 NBA Draft. Wilkens was known throughout his career for his calm demeanor and integrity.
“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,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “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.”
RIP.
