The NBA confirmed on its official website Sunday that Seattle SuperSonics legendary point guard and coach, Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, has died at his home on November 9 at the age of 88.

In his eulogy, NBA commissioner  Adam Silver said, "Lenny Wilkens represented the highest level of the NBA. He was a Hall of Fame player, a Hall of Fame coach, and one of the most respected promoters of the sport."

"For this reason, four years ago, Lenny was honoured as one of the legaue's all time 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches in its history."

"But even more impressive than Lenny's achievements in basketball (including two Olympic gold medals and an NBA championship trophy) was his dedication to service, especially to his beloved Seattle community, where a statue commemorating him will be erected.

"He influenced the lives of countless young people, and generations of players and coaches who saw Lenny not only as a great teammate and coach, but also as a distinguished mentor of high character and integrity."

"My deepest condolences go to Lenny's wife, Marilyn, their children, Lisa, Randy, and Jamie, and to the entire NBA family who have had the privilege of witnessing Lenny's leadership and generosity."

About Lenny Wilkens

Wilkens was born on October 28, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York. He was 1.85 meters tall and played point guard during his playing career.

While attending Providence College, Wilkens helped his school team reach the NIT Finals for the first time in history. He became one of the first players in NIT history to score over 1,000 points and was selected to the All-American team twice. In 2006, he became one of the first inductees into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. His number 14 jersey was even retired in 1996.

Wilkens was selected 6th overall in the first round of the 1960 NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks.

A player with exceptional court vision, Wilkens was a nine-time All-Star and twice led the league in assists during his 15-year career.

However, his early career was not smooth. In his second season, Wilkens was limited to 20 games due to military service. After returning as a full-time basketball player in the 1962/63 season, Wilkens helped the Hawks reach the playoffs for six consecutive years. In the 1967/68 season, he finished second in MVP voting, losing only to the late legendary center Wilt Chamberlain, considered one of the greatest players in NBA history.

In 1968, Wilkens was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, who had just joined the league at the time.

During his four-year spell with the Seattle SuperSonics, Wilkens was selected to the All-Star team three times as a player-coach, and was named All-Star MVP in 1971.

Before the 1972/73 season, Wilkens was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a move that drew considerable discontent from SuperSonics fans.

In his first season with the Cavaliers, despite the team's overall weakness, Wilkens averaged 20.5 points and 8.4 assists per game, and was named to the All-Star team in 1973.

After a year as a player-coach with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1974/75 season, Wilkens retired to become a full-time coach.

In 1977, Wilkens returned to the SuperSonics as head coach.

As head coach of the SuperSonics, Wilkens won the team's only NBA championship during his eight years with the team, and even served as the team's general manager from 1985 to 1986.

From 1986 to 1993, Wilkens returned to the Cavaliers as head coach.

During this time, he led the team to a record 50 wins in three seasons and a franchise-record second appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. He was also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1988.

Afterward, Wilkens coached the Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, and New York Knicks until his retirement in 2005.

Throughout his coaching career, most of the teams he led became dominant forces. Including his time as a player-coach, he coached for 32 years, achieving a record of 1332 wins and 1155 losses (53.6% winning percentage), making him the third-most successful coach in NBA history and the first coach to reach 1000 wins.

As a coach, his philosophy prioritized teamwork, allowing him to achieve success even without star players. This is one of the reasons why Wilkens quickly became the first coach in history to reach 1000 wins.

In 1996, Wilkens was selected as one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players. The following year, he was named one of the 10 Greatest Coaches of All Time, making him the only legendary figure to date to be simultaneously selected for both the 50 Greatest Players and the 10 Greatest Coaches.

He was also the first coach in NBA history to achieve 1000 wins, and holds the record for the most wins among all coaches in history.