Legendary Cavs coach Lenny Wilkens dies at 88

Lenny Wilkens, the Cavaliers' all-time winningest coach with 316 victories, has passed away at the age of 88 in suburban Seattle. He was a three-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player (class of 1989), coach (class of 1998) and member of the "Dream Team" (2010). Wilkens joined the Cavs' Wall of Honor in 2022. "Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA — as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach and one of the game's most respected ambassadors," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "So much so that four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league's 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time. "But even more impressive than Lenny's basketball accomplishments, which included two Olympic gold medals and an NBA championship (with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979), was his commitment to service — especially in his beloved community of Seattle, where a statue stands in his honor. He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches who considered Lenny not only a great teammate or coach but also an extraordinary mentor who led with integrity and true class." Wilkens, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Oct. 28, 1937, was hired as Cleveland's coach in June 1986 and coached the Cavs for seven seasons before resigning in 1993. He joined forces with Cleveland general manager Wayne Embry and formed the powerhouse lineup of Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Larry Nance Sr. and Ron Harper. The Cavs won 57 games on two occasions but couldn't get past Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan in the postseason. The Cavs were eliminated four times by Jordan in the playoffs and Cleveland never reached the NBA Finals despite having one of the most talented rosters in the NBA. Wilkens had a 316-258 record with the Cavs. He coached 2,487 NBA games, a record that still stands. He was the first person to reach 1,000 wins as an NBA coach and was the second person inducted into the hall of fame as a player and coach. Wilkens owns an NBA coaching record of 1,332-1,155. He also played two seasons in Cleveland. Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com.