Legendary NBA Player and Coach Lenny Wilkens Dies at 88
SEATTLE – Lenny Wilkens, a Hall of Fame player and coach who led the Seattle SuperSonics to their only NBA championship in 1979, has died at the age of 88. The news marks the passing of a true basketball pioneer and one of the most respected figures in the sport’s history.
Wilkens enjoyed a remarkable 18-year playing career as a point guard, primarily with the St. Louis Hawks (later Atlanta Hawks),and the SuperSonics. A nine-time All-Star, he was known for his floor leadership and ability to consistently deliver results despite not being physically imposing – standing barely six feet tall and weighing 175 pounds.
Following his playing career,Wilkens transitioned seamlessly into coaching,spending 32 seasons on the sidelines with five different franchises: the SuperSonics,Portland Trail Blazers,Cleveland Cavaliers,Orlando Magic,and Toronto raptors. He amassed 1,333 career coaching wins, a record he held for many years before being surpassed by Don Nelson (1,335 wins) and later Gregg Popovich (1,388 wins). He celebrated briefly holding the all-time record in 1995, passing Red Auerbach, by lighting a cigar – a first for Wilkens – as a tribute to Auerbach.”He was my standard. And so that’s why I lit that cigar up,” Wilkens said. “I never smoked a cigar in my life, you know and I lit it up and almost choked, but I wanted it as a tribute to Red Auerbach.”
Wilkens’ success wasn’t built on star power. He ofen found ways to build winning teams with balanced rosters, believing in the importance of “complementary players” even alongside a star. “I’ve always believed you need balance,” he once explained. “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 vital to surround him with the right kind of complementary players.” The only Hall of Famer he coached in his prime was himself.
His impact extended beyond wins and losses.Wilkens broke barriers as one of the first African-American coaches in the NBA, taking over the Sonics in 1969.He earned respect through consistent results and a quiet, effective leadership style. As Sam Smith wrote in an ESPN column in 2002, “Lenny didn’t shout for attention or demand it. He earned it with results,which is the way it should be.”
Wilkens’ accolades include induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player (1989), a coach (1998), and as an assistant coach for the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team” (2010). He retired to Medina,Washington,and dedicated 17 years to running the NBA Coaches Association. His Lenny Wilkens Foundation has raised millions for charitable causes in Seattle, where he remained a beloved figure for bringing the city its sole NBA championship in 1979, a victory celebrated by thousands lining the streets on June 4th of that year.
