CLEVELAND, Ohio — Lenny Wilkens, a three-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and a Cavs coaching legend, died on Sunday at the age of 88, the NBA announced. The family said Wilkens was surrounded by loved ones when he died and did not immediately release a cause of death.
The winningest coach in franchise history (316-258), Wilkens coached the Cavaliers from 1986-1993 and is remembered fondly for his many contributions during that tenure, including three 50-win seasons and five playoff appearances.
His impact stretches far beyond Northeast Ohio.
“Even more impressive than Lenny’s basketball accomplishments, which included two Olympic gold medals and an NBA championship, was his commitment to service — especially in his beloved community of Seattle where a statue stands in his honor,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a release by the league. “He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches who considered Lenny not only a great teammates or coach but an extraordinary mentor who led with integrity and true class.”
Few can match Wilkens’ basketball legacy — both as a player and coach. He is the third-winningest coach all-time, with 1,332 victories in 32 years, including a championship with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979. He trails only Gregg Popovich and Don Nelson for the most regular-season coaching wins ever.
Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1989, a coach in 1998 and an Olympian in 2010 because he served as an assistant with the 1992 Dream Team. He won gold medals in 1992 and 1996, when he was the head coach of Team USA.
In 1996, Wilkens was named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary Team. Twenty-five years later, he was chosen as part of the 75th Anniversary Team.
From the late 1980s through the early 1990s, Wilkens and Hall of Fame general manager Wayne Embry helped build memorable Cavs teams that featured luminaries Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Larry Nance Sr., John “Hot Rod” Williams, Craig Ehlo and Ron Harper, among others — the most successful period in Cavs history until LeBron James came along a decade later and eventually helped the organization win its first ever NBA championship in 2016.
Despite immense regular season success, Cleveland never reached the NBA Finals under Wilkens, eliminated by Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls four separate times. In 1993, following a conference semifinals loss, Wilkens resigned.
“The Cleveland Cavaliers are deeply saddened by the passing of Lenny Wilkens, a celebrated and legendary figure whose impact on our franchise and the game of basketball will never be forgotten,” the Cavs wrote in a statement late Sunday night. “Wilkens’ connection to the Cavaliers was felt on both sides of the court. He embodied leadership, class, and a passion for the game of basketball. A true Cleveland sports icon, he inspired legions of players, coaches and fans across Northeast Ohio and he will forever be part of Cleveland Cavaliers history.”
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Wilkens didn’t play high school basketball until his senior year. Nonetheless, he earned a scholarship to Providence College and eventually became a two-time All-American, leading the program to its first NIT appearance in 1959 and then the NIT finals a year later.
At the time of his graduation, Wilkens was the second-ranked scorer in Friar history — a mark that has changed drastically over the last six-plus decades.
Drafted in the first round (No. 6 overall) by the St. Louis Hawks in 1960, the 6-foot-1 Wilkens played point guard for 15 NBA seasons, building a reputation as a tenacious defender and savvy floor general. He averaged double figures in scoring in all but his final season with the Trail Blazers in 1974-75. A nine-time All-Star, Wilkens holds career averages of 16.5 points and 6.7 assists for four teams, including Cleveland, where he spent the twilight of his playing career, from 1972 to 1974. He was named an All-Star once with the Cavs in 1973 at age 35.
During the 1996-97 season, Wilkens became the only person included on the league’s all-time lists of top 50 players and top 10 coaches.
He remains the only player-coach in NBA history to hold dual roles at the same time for two different teams — the SuperSonics from 1969-72 and Portland Trail Blazers in 1974-75. There has only been one other person, Boston’s Dave Cowens, to serve as a player-coach after Wilkens.
Following his illustrious playing career, Wilkens began his run as a coach in Seattle. He compiled a lifetime record of 1,332-1,155 with the SuperSonics, Trail Blazers, Cavs, Hawks, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks. In the playoffs, he went 80-98. He coached in the NBA All-Star Game four times. He was named NBA Coach of the Year once, his first season with the Hawks, guiding the franchise that once drafted him to a 57-win campaign and conference semifinals berth.
In 2022, the Cavs honored Wilkens with a spot on their Wall of Honor at Rocket Arena, cementing his legacy, one that will live on forever.
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