Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, Seattle basketball legend, dies at 88 - NBC Sports
Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.
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Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, Seattle basketball legend, dies at 88
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Kurt Helin,
By
Kurt Helin
Published November 9, 2025 07:52 PM
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Lenny Wilkens, the nine-time All-Star player and member of the league’s 75th Anniversary team, who became a Seattle legend coaching the Super Sonics to the title in 1979, and coached USA men’s basketball to gold in 1996, has died at age 88.
Wilkens died surrounded by loved ones, according to the Associated Press. The family did not release a cause of death.
“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. “So much so that, four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.
“But 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. 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.”
Wilkens was born and raised in Brooklyn and attended college at Providence. The 6'1" point guard was the No. 6 pick of the St. Louis Hawks in the 1960 NBA Draft and went on to play 15 seasons in the league. Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star as a player, averaging 16.5 points and 6.6 assists a game. His best season came with St. Louis in 1968, when he averaged 20 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game, finishing second in MVP voting (behind Wilt Chamberlain). Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1989.
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