Overview
- His family and the NBA announced his death at 88; no cause was disclosed, and relatives said he died surrounded by loved ones.
- Wilkens remains the NBA leader in games coached at 2,487, became the first coach to reach 1,000 wins, and retired with 1,332 victories later surpassed by Don Nelson and Gregg Popovich.
- He led the Seattle SuperSonics to their 1979 championship and coached the U.S. men to Olympic gold in 1996 after serving as a 1992 assistant.
- A rare dual Hall of Famer as player and coach, he was also enshrined with the 1992 U.S. Olympic team and was a nine-time All-Star as a player.
- Remembrances highlighted his enduring impact in Seattle, including decades of community work and a statue installed outside Climate Pledge Arena in June.