By Noah Zimmerman
noah@queensledger.com
The basketball world mourned the passing of Brooklyn native and legendary player/coach Lenny Wilkens, who died on Sunday. Dubbed the “Godfather of Seattle Basketball,” Wilkens was inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame three different times. He was honored as a 9-time All-Star point guard, again as one of the winningest coaches in league history, and once more for helping coach the USA in the 1992 Olympic Games.
Wilkens was a legendary playmaker, adding tremendous flair in the 1960’s and early 70’s. In the 1967-68 season he averaged 8.3 assists and 20 points per game, finishing 2nd in MVP voting to the legendary Wilt Chamberlain.
“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,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
“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.”
The illustrious career was forged on the playgrounds and asphalt courts of Brooklyn. While he didn’t play until his senior year Wilkens was able to impress at Boys High School after drawing attention outdoors. He went on to dominate at Providence College. Wilkens became one of the greatest to grace the floor for the Friars, leading them to the NIT Tournament as a junior and senior. He was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player in 1960, also claiming All-American honors that year and the season prior.
After his time in Rhode Island, Wilkens was selected in the first round of the NBA Draft by the St. Louis Hawks. He spent the first 8 years of his career there before joining the Supersonics in the Pacific Northwest. He was an All-Star in three out of four seasons in Seattle, also setting career highs in assists and points per game.
Less than a decade later Wilkens was back on the floor as a coach, helping lead the Supersonics to their lone NBA title in 1979. In his coaching career he became the all-time leader in games coached, as well as the first of now 10 to pass the 1,000-win mark. He remains the coach with the most games in charge in NBA history, leading his teams in 2,487 contests.
“The thing that I’ll always remember, he was such a great gentleman, and such an eloquent human being, along with being a super competitive coach. He is still way up there in all-time victories. Very, very special man. He’ll be missed but he’ll be remembered,” Indiana Pacers Head Coach Carlisle said. “I ended up following him as president (of the NBCA), he did a lot of things to further the profession; the pension, benefits, coaching salaries rose significantly during his time. He was a great representative to the league office.”
