Treasured Career
Lenny Wilkens is a world-renowned basketball legend, universally celebrated as both player and coach. During his 15-year NBA playing career he served as point guard for the St. Louis Hawks, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers. He ranks among the all-time leaders in assists, free throws and games played, and was named Most Valuable Player in the 1971 All-Star Game. Including playoff and All-Star games, he has participated in more games as player and coach than anyone else in league history. A former vice president of the NBA Players Association, Wilkens also served as president of the NBA Coaches Association.
Wilkens’ long list of accomplishments include:
- Named as both one of the NBA’s Top Ten Coaches in league history as well as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history when the NBA celebrated its 50th anniversary season in 1996-97 -- The only person to ever make both lists.
- One of the NBA’s winningest coaches with 1,332 victories
- Three-time NBA All-Star Coach
- 1979 NBA Championship winner with the Seattle SuperSonics
- 1994 NBA Coach of the Year Award with the Atlanta Hawks
- 1992 Assistant Coach of thhe Olympic Gold Medal “Dream Team I” in Barcelona
- 1996 Coach of the Olympic Gold Medal “Dream Team II” in Atlanta
- Coached 32 years in the NBA
- Retiring as a player in 1974, Wilkens ranked second on the NBA all-time assist list 7,211 (6.7 apg)
- Nine time NBA All-Star player
- 1971 NBA All-Star Game MVP
- 1960 First round draft pick of the St. Louis Hawks. He played 1,077 regular season games averaging 16.5 points per game
- Earned MVP honors in both the NIT ane the East-West College All-Star Game
- The Lenny Wilkens Foundation and other causes have raised over $7.5 million for the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in Central Seattle. Of his accomplishments, Lenny has said he is most grateful that his celebrity has helped give children to the same chances every person deserves to accomplish their goals.
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