Leonard Randolph Wilkens (born October 28, 1937) is an American former
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player and coach in the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA). He has been inducted three times into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
, first in 1989 as a player, as a coach in 1998, and in 2010 as part of the
1992 United States Olympic "Dream Team," for which he was an assistant coach. In 1996, Wilkens was named to the
NBA 50th Anniversary Team
The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team ...
, and in 2021 he was named to the
NBA 75th Anniversary Team
The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75, was chosen in 2021 to honor the 75th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the fourth and most recent anniversary team in the league. S ...
. In addition, in 2022 he was also named to the list of the
15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History, being the only person to be in both NBA 75th season celebration list as player and coach. He is also a 2006 inductee into the
College Basketball Hall of Fame
The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Kansas City, Missouri, is a hall of fame and museum dedicated to men's college basketball. The museum is an integral portion of the College Basketball Experience created by the National ...
.
Wilkens was a combined 13-time
NBA All-Star
The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Originally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of al ...
as a player (nine times) and as a head coach (four times), was the 1993
NBA Coach of the Year
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led ...
, won the
1979 NBA championship as the head coach of the
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Confe ...
, and an
Olympic gold medal
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
as the head coach of the 1996 U.S. men's basketball team.
During the 1994–95 season, Wilkens set the record for most regular season coaching wins in NBA history, a record he held when he retired with 1,332 victories. , he is in third place on the
list
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
, behind
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid Nelson (born May 15, 1940) is an American former professional basketball player and head coach. Nelson is second all-time in regular season wins of any coach in NBA history, with 1,335 (he held the record for most wins for almost 12 ...
and
Gregg Popovich
Gregg Charles Popovich (born January 28, 1949) is an American professional basketball coach and executive who is the president and head coach of the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Taking over as coach of the Spur ...
. Wilkens won the
Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award
Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award is an annual award given by the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) to a longtime NBA coach's life in basketball and his "standard of integrity, competitive excellence and tireless promotion" of t ...
for the
2010–11 NBA season. Wilkens is also the most prolific coach in NBA history, at 2,487 regular-season games, 89 more games than Nelson, and over 400 more than any other coach, and has more losses than any other coach in NBA history, at 1,155.
Early life
Wilkens grew up in the
Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. His father was African American and his mother was
Irish American
, image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png
, image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state
, caption = Notable Irish Americans
, population =
36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...
.
Wilkens was raised in the
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
faith.
At
Boys High School
Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in separate buildings or schools. The practice of ...
, Wilkens was a basketball teammate of longtime
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
star
Tommy Davis, and played for coach
Mickey Fisher.
Playing career
Wilkens was a two-time All-American (1959 and 1960) at
Providence College
Providence College is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic university in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1917 by the Dominican Order and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, local diocese, it offers 47 undergradua ...
. He led the team to their first
NIT appearance in
1959
Events January
* January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance.
* January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...
, and to the NIT finals in
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...
. When he graduated, Wilkens was, with 1,193 points, the second-ranked scorer in Friar history (he has since dropped to 20th as of 2005). In 1996, Wilkens' No. 14 jersey was retired by the college, the first alumnus to receive such an honor. In honor of his collegiate accomplishments, Wilkens was one of the inaugural inductees into the
College Basketball Hall of Fame
The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Kansas City, Missouri, is a hall of fame and museum dedicated to men's college basketball. The museum is an integral portion of the College Basketball Experience created by the National ...
in 2006.
Wilkens was drafted sixth overall by the
St. Louis Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...
in the
1960 NBA draft. He began his career with eight seasons with the St. Louis Hawks, who lost the finals to the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
in his rookie season. The Hawks made the playoffs consistently with Wilkens but never again reached the finals. Wilkens placed second to
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman Chamberlain (; August 21, 1936 – October 12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player who played as a Center (basketball), center. Standing at tall, he played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 yea ...
in the
1967–1968 MVP balloting, his last with the Hawks.
Wilkens was traded to the
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Confe ...
for
Walt Hazzard
Mahdi Abdul-Rahman (born Walter Raphael Hazzard Jr.; April 15, 1942 – November 18, 2011) was an American professional basketball player and college basketball coach. He played in college for the UCLA Bruins and was a member of their first natio ...
and spent four seasons there. He averaged 22.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game in his first season for the SuperSonics, and was an All-Star in three of his seasons for them. He was named head coach in his second season with the team. Although the SuperSonics did not reach the playoffs while Wilkens simultaneously coached and started at point guard, their record improved each season and they won 47 games during the
1971–72 NBA season. Wilkens was dealt to the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
before the start of the next season in a highly unpopular trade, and the SuperSonics fell to 26-56 without his leadership on the court.
Wilkens ended his career spending two seasons with the
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
(
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
–
1974
Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...
) and one with the
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...
(
1974–1975).
Wilkens scored 17,772 points during the regular season, was a nine-time NBA All-Star, and was named the
1971 NBA All-Star Game MVP in
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6).
The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history.
Events
Ja ...
. With Seattle, he led the league in assists in the
1969–70 season, and at the time of his retirement was the NBA's second all-time leader in that category, behind only
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Robertson played ...
.
Coaching career
From
1969 to
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
with Seattle, and in his one season as a player with Portland, he was a
player-coach
A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the sq ...
. He retired from playing in
1975
It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe.
Events
January
* January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
and was the full-time coach of the Trail Blazers for one more season. After a season off from coaching, he again became coach of the SuperSonics when he replaced
Bob Hopkins
Robert M. Hopkins (November 3, 1934 – May 15, 2015) was an American basketball player and coach.
Biography
A native of Jonesboro, La., Hopkins participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track (He was invited to participate in the ...
who was fired 22 games into the
1977–78 season after a dismal 5–17 start. The SuperSonics won 11 of their first 12 games under Wilkens and made the playoffs in back-to-back years, losing in seven games to the Washington Bullets in the
1978 NBA Finals before returning to the 1979 NBA Finals and defeating the Washington Bullets in five games for their first and only NBA title.
He coached in Seattle for eight seasons (
1977
Events January
* January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democratic R ...
–
1985
The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** The Internet's Domain Name System is created.
** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
), winning his (and Seattle's) only NBA championship in
1979
Events
January
* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
. He would go on to coach Cleveland (
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
–
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
), Atlanta (
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
–
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
), Toronto (
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
–
2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
) and New York (
2004–05).
The
Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
r was named head coach of the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
on January 15, 2004. After the Knicks' slow start to the
2004–05 season, Wilkens resigned from the team on January 22, 2005.
Later years
On November 29, 2006, he was hired as vice chairman of the
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Confe ...
' ownership group, and was later named the Sonics' President of Basketball Operations on April 27, 2007. On July 6, 2007, Wilkens resigned from the Sonics organization.
Wilkens later worked at Northwest FSN Studio as a college basketball analyst and occasionally appears on College Hoops Northwest at game nights.
Personal life
Since 1962, Wilkens has been married to Marilyn Reed, with whom he has a son, Randy.
He is the founder of the Lenny Wilkens Foundation for Children and lives in
Medina, Washington
Medina () is a mostly residential city in Eastside, King County, Washington, United States. The city is on a peninsula in Lake Washington, on the opposite shore from Seattle, bordered by Clyde Hill and Hunts Point to the east and water on a ...
. He is a practicing
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
.
Awards and honors
NBA
*1979
NBA champion
The National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals is the championship series for the NBA held at the conclusion of its postseason. All Finals have been played in a best-of-seven format, and are contested between the winners of the Eastern Con ...
(as head coach of Seattle)
*13-time NBA All-Star
**nine times as a player
**four times as a head coach
*1971
NBA All-Star Game MVP
The NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the player(s) voted best of the annual All-Star Game. The award was established in 1953 when NBA officials decided to de ...
*1994 NBA Coach of the Year
*2011 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award
*No. 19
retired by Seattle SuperSonics (carried over to the
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
)
*
Top 10 Coaches in NBA History
The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team ...
(NBA 50th Anniversary)
*
Top 15 Coaches in NBA History
The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75, was chosen in 2021 to honor the 75th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the fourth and most recent anniversary team in the league. S ...
(NBA 75th Anniversary)
USA Basketball
*Two-time coach of Olympic gold medal winning team
**1992 as an assistant coach with the "Dream Team"
**1996 as head coach of the U.S. men's team
Halls of Fame
*Three-time
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
inductee
**class of 1989 as a player
**class of 1998 as a coach
**class of 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team"
*
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
Wall of Honor (class of 2022)
*
U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame (class of 2009 - as a member of the "Dream Team")
*
FIBA Hall of Fame
The FIBA Hall of Fame, or FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame, honors players, coaches, teams, referees, and administrators who have greatly contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA, in 1991. It includes the " Samar ...
(class of 2017 - as a member of the "Dream Team")
*
College Basketball Hall of Fame
The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Kansas City, Missouri, is a hall of fame and museum dedicated to men's college basketball. The museum is an integral portion of the College Basketball Experience created by the National ...
(class of 2006)
*Providence College Hall of Fame.
State/Local
*City of Seattle renamed Thomas Street to Lenny Wilkens Way.
Organizational
*1999 Golden Plate Award of the
American Academy of Achievement
The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet o ...
Quotes
*"I learned my basketball on the playgrounds of
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. Today, being a playground player is an insult. It means all you want to do is go one-on-one, it means your fundamentals stink and you don't understand the game. But the playgrounds I knew were tremendous training grounds."
*"Show people how to have success and then you can push their expectations up."
Head coaching record
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Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
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Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
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Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
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, style="text-align:left;",
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
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, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 37, , 45, , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Pacific, , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 60, , 42, , 18, , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Pacific, , , 22, , 13, , 9, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...
, - ! style="background:#FDE910;"
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 52, , 30, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , , 17, , 12, , 5, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Won
NBA Championship
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
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, 82, , 56, , 26, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Pacific, , , 15, , 7, , 8, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Finals
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 34, , 48, , , , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Pacific, , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 52, , 30, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Pacific, , , 8, , 3, , 5, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Semifinals
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, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, style="text-align:left;",
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, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 42, , 40, , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Pacific, , , 5, , 2, , 3, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 31, , 51, , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Pacific, , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
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, 82, , 31, , 51, , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Central, , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 42, , 40, , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Central, , , 5, , 2, , 3, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 57, , 25, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Central, , , 5, , 2, , 3, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 42, , 40, , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Central, , , 5, , 2, , 3, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 33, , 49, , , , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Central, , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 57, , 25, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Central, , , 17, , 9, , 8, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Finals
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 54, , 28, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Central, , , 9, , 3, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 57, , 25, , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Central, , , 11, , 5, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 42, , 40, , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Central, , , 3, , 0, , 3, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 46, , 36, , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Central, , , 10, , 4, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 56, , 26, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Central, , , 10, , 4, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 50, , 32, , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Central, , , 4, , 1, , 3, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 50, , 31, , 19, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Central, , , 9, , 3, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 28, , 54, , , , style="text-align:center;", 7th in Central, , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 47, , 35, , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Central, , , 12, , 6, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
Conf. Semifinals
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 42, , 40, , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Central, , , 5, , 2, , 3, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 82, , 24, , 58, , , , style="text-align:center;", 7th in Central, , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", Missed playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 42, , 23, , 19, , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Atlantic, , , 4, , 0, , 4, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, 39, , 17, , 22, , , , style="text-align:center;", (resigned), , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:left;", Career
, , , 2,487, , 1,332, , 1,155, , , , , , 178, , 80, , 98, , , ,
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 74 , , – , , 25.3 , , .425 , , – , , .713 , , 4.5 , , 2.8 , , – , , – , , 11.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 20 , , – , , 43.5 , , .385 , , – , , .764 , , 6.6 , , 5.8 , , – , , – , , 18.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 75 , , – , , 34.3 , , .399 , , – , , .696 , , 5.4 , , 5.1 , , – , , – , , 11.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 78 , , – , , 32.4 , , .413 , , – , , .740 , , 4.3 , , 4.6 , , – , , – , , 12.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 78 , , – , , 36.6 , , .414 , , – , , .746 , , 4.7 , , 5.5 , , – , , – , , 16.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 69 , , – , , 39.0 , , .431 , , – , , .793 , , 4.7 , , 6.2 , , – , , – , , 18.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 78 , , – , , 38.1 , , .432 , , – , , .787 , , 5.3 , , 5.7 , , – , , – , , 17.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 82 , , – , , 38.6 , , .438 , , – , , .768 , , 5.3 , , 8.3 , , – , , – , , 20.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 82 , , – , , 42.2 , , .440 , , – , , .770 , , 6.2 , , 8.2 , , – , , – , , 22.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 75 , , – , , 37.4 , , .420 , , – , , .788 , , 5.0 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 9.1* , , – , , – , , 17.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 71 , , – , , 37.2 , , .419 , , – , , .803 , , 4.5 , , 9.2 , , – , , – , , 19.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, 80 , , – , , 37.4 , , .466 , , – , , .774 , , 4.2 , , 9.6 , , – , , – , , 18.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, 75 , , – , , 39.6 , , .449 , , – , , .828 , , 4.6 , , 8.4 , , – , , – , , 20.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, 74 , , – , , 33.6 , , .465 , , – , , .801 , , 3.7 , , 7.1 , , 1.3 , , 0.2 , , 16.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, 65 , , – , , 17.9 , , .439 , , – , , .768 , , 1.8 , , 3.6 , , 1.2 , , 0.1 , , 6.5
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 1,077 , , – , , 35.3 , , .432 , , – , , .774 , , 4.7 , , 6.7 , , 1.3 , , 0.2 , , 16.5
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star
, 9 , , 3 , , 20.2 , , .400 , , – , , .781 , , 2.4 , , 2.9 , , – , , – , , 9.4
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1961
Events January
* January 3
** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015).
** Aero Flight 311 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 12, , –, , 36.4, , .380, , –, , .759, , 6.0, , 3.5, , –, , –, , 14.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1963
Events January
* January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 11, , –, , 36.4, , .370, , –, , .755, , 6.3, , 6.3, , –, , –, , 13.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 12, , –, , 34.4, , .448, , –, , .759, , 5.0, , 5.3, , –, , –, , 14.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1965
Events January–February
* January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years.
* January 20
** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 4, , –, , 36.8, , .351, , –, , .828, , 3.0, , 3.8, , –, , –, , 16.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1966
Events January
* January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko.
* January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 10, , –, , 39.1, , .399, , –, , .687, , 5.4, , 7.0, , –, , –, , 17.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1967
Events
January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 5
** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 9, , –, , 42.0, , .400, , –, , .856, , 7.6, , 7.2, , –, , –, , 21.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* Januar ...
, style="text-align:left;",
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, 6, , –, , 39.5, , .440, , –, , .750, , 6.3, , 7.8, , –, , –, , 16.1
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 64 , , – , , 37.5 , , .399 , , – , , .769 , , 5.8 , , 5.8 , , – , , – , , 16.1
See also
*
*
List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
This article provides two lists:
:A list of National Basketball Association players by total career regular season assists recorded
:Progressive assist leaders list
Assist leaders
This is a list of National Basketball Association players by tota ...
*
*
References
External links
*
*
Basketball-Reference.com: Lenny Wilkens (as a player)
Stories of Atlanta - Odd Man Out
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkens, Lenny
1937 births
Living people
African-American basketball coaches
African-American basketball players
All-American college men's basketball players
American expatriate basketball people in Canada
American Olympic coaches
American people of Irish descent
Atlanta Hawks head coaches
Basketball coaches from New York (state)
Basketball players from New York (state)
Boys High School (Brooklyn) alumni
Cleveland Cavaliers head coaches
Cleveland Cavaliers players
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
National Basketball Association All-Stars
National Basketball Association broadcasters
National Basketball Association championship-winning head coaches
National Basketball Association executives
National Basketball Association players with retired numbers
New York Knicks head coaches
People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Player-coaches
Point guards
Portland Trail Blazers head coaches
Portland Trail Blazers players
Providence Friars men's basketball players
Seattle SuperSonics general managers
Seattle SuperSonics head coaches
Seattle SuperSonics players
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
St. Louis Hawks draft picks
St. Louis Hawks players
Toronto Raptors head coaches
United States men's national basketball team coaches
People from Medina, Washington
American men's basketball players
African-American Catholics
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American sportspeople