Lenny Wilkens, no less than one of the most legendary figures in the history of basketball at any level, passed away at the age of 88. Beyond his impact off the court, he has built an unparalleled legacy as one of the greatest players and coaches to ever grace the NBA hardwood. His legacy includes nine playing career All-Star selections and an Olympic gold medal as a coach. Wilkens’ impact on the game transcended his statistics and records, as he became a respected ambassador for basketball both on and off the court.
Wilkens started his professional career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first year in the league, he turned heads by averaging 20.5 points and 8.4 assists as a rookie. His overwhelming talent soon earned him a place in the 1973 All-Star Game. He consistently displayed ridiculous talent, transcending his listed measurements of under six foot and 175 pounds. In his playing days spanning 15 years, he was brilliantly illuminative as a playmaker par excellence. He was a two-time league leader in assists and a nine-time All-Star.
After retiring as a player, Wilkens became a coach and had astounding success. He won 1,332 games with the Expos, Orioles and Yankees, and revolutionized the game’s understanding of analytics. He was head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics and Portland Trail Blazers. He made stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks. Most significantly, he led the most games coached in NBA history with 2,487.
Wilkens was hugely successful with the SuperSonics, taking them to their first and only NBA championship in 1979. As if that weren’t enough, he played for four seasons as a player-coach, emphasizing not only his versatility but arguably his profound understanding of the game. His contributions to basketball were further recognized when he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989 as a player and again in 2010 as an assistant coach for the 1992 Olympic Dream Team.
Wilkens came to be known, in addition to his extraordinary coaching successes, for his impeccable personal touch with players. He once stated, “I know what young players are going through. I understand their backgrounds. I didn’t come from anything either, so I’ve been there.”
Wilkens’ impact went beyond the court as he was an advocate for creating bonds and working together. He emphasized the importance of surrounding star players with complementary talent, saying, “It’s not that I don’t want a star — I’ll always take a star — but even if you have a star, it’s important to surround him with the right kind of complementary players.”
The number 14 jersey was retired by Providence College in 1996 as a celebration of his storied career. Wilkens was named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time, reflecting the profound respect he garnered within the basketball community.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recognized Wilkens’ contributions, stating, “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.” This sentiment will be spoken across the entire league as players and fans alike mourn what was truly a legend lost.
Wilkens’ impact will live on in the thousands of players he shaped and the lessons he brought to the game. The way he approached coaching was less about winning and more about leadership, raising the bar for generations to come. Bill paid tribute to his mentor by lighting a cigar in his honor—despite having never smoked before. This simple act demonstrated his profound love of the game and the legacy it has built.
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