Winning a title in the NBA does a lot for one’s legacy. When it’s done by a head coach, it is something that marks them as eternal in the annals of history.
During his playing days, Lenny Wilkens was a 9X All-Star. If not for Wilt Chamberlain, he’d have been an NBA MVP, finishing 2nd in the 1967 race for the award.
As a Head Coach, the man was something else. He won over 1,300 games while running things for six different franchises. This is a tribute to one of the most impressive individuals in the history of the league, who passed away at the age of 88 years of age on Sunday, November 9th.
Lenny Wilkens, a proud member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Lenny Wilkens, 9X All-Star
From the very day that the St. Louis Hawks drafted him sixth overall, it appeared pretty clear that Lenny Wilkens was going to be a special player. He would spend the first eight years of his career with the franchise, getting selected to five All-Star games.
A budding player in his own right, Wilkens was sharing the court with multiple future Hall of Famers. There’s Richie Guerin, who joined the team after an incredible run with the New York Knicks. And of course, there’s his fellow NBA 75th Anniversary teammate, Bob Pettit. A look at Pettit’s resumé will leave anybody’s jaw dropped for an indefinite period of time.
Though he never won a title as a player, Wilkens was able to set the table for everybody. He managed to get even better when he got to the Seattle SuperSonics, where career-high averages in points and assists would await.
Following a few big years with the Sonics, Wilkens joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in a trade. One last All-Star nod, with averages of nearly 21 points and nine assists per game.
As we get to the incredible coaching career of Lenny Wilkens, it is worth noting that the three teams he spent most of his career with in that role, are ones he also played for. Seattle, Cleveland, and Atlanta.
Lenny Wilkens, Owner of the Third Most NBA Coaching Wins
It’s no secret that Gregg Popovich has the most coaching wins in NBA history. In his final few campaigns with the San Antonio Spurs, he climbed to the top. The last name he needed to pass was Don Nelson, who had 1,335 victories. Just three behind him, and in the No. 3 spot is Lenny Wilkens himself. 1,332 victories. Nobody has coached more games (2,487) than Wilkens has.
Most impressive about the Hall-of-Famer, was that he was a player-coach during his days with the Seattle Supersonics, and during his final year with the Portland TrailBlazers. It made the transition to full-time coaching relatively smooth.
As soon as he became the coach (post-playing days) with the Sonics, he wasted no time. Wilkens took the team to the NBA Finals right off the bat. And after falling short in year one, they came back to win it all the following season. He spent seven years in Seattle, and it comes as no surprise that there’s now a statue of him there.
After his time in Seattle, the Cavs were the next stop. A franchise that had just one playoff series win before he arrived, Lenny Wilkens took the team to new heights. They reached their first Conference Finals. There were three seasons of 50+ victories.
When Wilkens time ended in Cleveland, the fond memories were aplenty. During his first year with the Atlanta Hawks, he was the Coach of the Year. He spent seven campaigns with ATL, getting them 50+ wins on four occasions, with one trip to the second round of the postseason.
The final years of his career were spent with the Toronto Raptors (three seasons) and the New York Knicks (parts of two years).
One final note on Wilkens: He had spent a year in the front office. But the Cavs lured him back into the coaching role. And then we got nearly 20 more years of Lenny Wilkens in that capacity. Thank you, Cleveland.
Rest in Peace, Lenny Wilkens
Coach Lenny Wilkens. 88 years of age. He touched many in the basketball world. He accomplished more than most do. And his impact is one that will not be forgotten any time soon. A legend through and through.
Salute, Coach.
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