Lenny Wilkens dies at 88 Hall of Famer | JQJO

Lenny Wilkens, the Brooklyn native enshrined in the Hall of Fame as both player and coach, died Sunday at 88. A nine-time All-Star and Providence College standout, he later guided Seattle to its lone NBA championship in 1979 and amassed a then-record 1,332 coaching wins, once honoring Red Auerbach with a celebratory cigar. He also led the 1996 U.S. Olympic team to gold and coached in Cleveland, Atlanta, Toronto and New York. The Knicks and NBA commissioner Adam Silver mourned his passing, praising his enduring impact on the game and the communities he touched.