Lenny Wilkens, a three-time inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame, has passed away at the age of 88, as announced by his family. The cause of death has not been disclosed, although it was stated that he was surrounded by loved ones during his final moments.
Wilkens had a distinguished career as both a player and coach in the NBA. He is noted for being one of the premier point guards of his time and later transitioned to coaching, where he achieved significant success. His coaching tenure spanned an impressive 2,487 games in the NBA, a record that remains unbroken. Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame in three capacities: as a player, a coach, and as an assistant for the celebrated 1992 U.S. Olympic team.
He coached the U.S. Olympic team to gold in Atlanta in 1996 and became renowned for his leadership in the league. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recognized Wilkens as a significant figure in basketball, noting his dual Hall of Fame status and acclaim as one of the 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches in NBA history.
As a player, Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star and made history as the first NBA coach to achieve 1,000 wins. His coaching career included leading the Seattle SuperSonics to an NBA championship in 1979. He also received numerous accolades throughout his career, including being named the NBA Coach of the Year in 1994.
Wilkens played for 15 seasons with various teams, including the St. Louis Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers. He was also recently honored with a statue outside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, a testament to his lasting impact on basketball in the city. Wilkens’ legacy is marked by his accomplishments both on and off the court, having been inducted into multiple halls of fame and revered as a respected ambassador for the game.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2025/11/10/lenny-wilkens-legendary-nba-player-and-coach-dies-at-88?traffic_source=rss