Lenny Wilkens, Hall Of Fame Basketball Player And Coach, Dies At 88

Saddened by the passing of the great Lenny Wilkens. Lenny is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 3x…player, coach and assistant coach on the ‘92 Olympic Dream Team. What a gentleman, and Seattle icon. I met Lenny in my NBA covering days. So many stories and insights interviewing him at his home as the Pandemic was winding down. And what a treat when he visited the Mariners radio booth in September 2024. So glad he’s immortalized with a statue outside of Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. RIP.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are deeply saddened by the passing of Lenny Wilkens, a celebrated and legendary figure whose impact on our franchise and the game of basketball will never be forgotten. Wilkens' connection to the Cavaliers was felt on both sides of the court. As a player, he served as the team’s point guard from 1972 to 1974, earning NBA All-Star honors in 1973. He later returned as head coach from 1986 to 1993, guiding the Cavaliers to the playoffs in five of his seven seasons and setting the franchise record for most regular-season coaching wins with 316—a mark that still stands today. On March 26, 2022, he was inducted into the Cavaliers Wall of Honor. Beyond his tenure in Cleveland, his legacy extends across the basketball world. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both a coach and player, Wilkens was also recognized as one of the NBA’s 75 greatest players and one of the league’s 15 greatest coaches of all time—an honor that reflects his influence on the game. Wilkens embodied leadership, class, and a passion for the game. A true Cleveland sports icon, he inspired legions of players, coaches and fans across Northeast Ohio and he will forever be part of Cleveland Cavaliers history. Our hearts and sincere condolences are with his wife, Marilyn; their children, Leesha, Randy and Jamee, and all those whose lives he touched.

Seattle didn’t just lose a basketball icon. We lost a man who believed in people — on the court and in the community. Thank you, Lenny Wilkens, for everything you gave this city.

No athlete has been so loved, by so many, from so many quarters of our community, as Lenny Wilkens. What a gift to us, on and off the court.