Lenny Wilkens: A Trailblazer in Basketball

[{"selector":"#anim-30dd35c4-2740-46fe-8cbb-e7d32105c0b4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4084ad5-e75e-4c49-9286-b147b169f831","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-639866f0-0f27-4f99-8972-8c870cdd8964","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 236.59009%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-74155661-071c-4c3d-b619-56675de937e8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-4.67173859441257%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1716ace9-8d67-4314-b8d2-470b704db990","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c12c9e6-e801-443d-86f7-a0674e1dc730","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 127.77779%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Lenny Wilkens is a basketball great recognized for his tremendous career as both a player and a coach, as well as his innovative achievements in the sport.

[{"selector":"#anim-2bf8da11-1f08-4101-a5fa-b7da44d56731 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-becc6b17-d706-438b-a31b-36efa0279f78","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4862640f-94c6-4753-b4b1-9121a329f722","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.00830%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Wilkens was born in 1937 in Brooklyn, New York, and went on to attend Providence College, where he played basketball and earned a degree in economics.

[{"selector":"#anim-5aa188e8-a4eb-432e-8d6c-2e2f70e8a639 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(13.86363636487911%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6baa47a-2f08-4d62-b9cb-a6c6f269766d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8d92aa53-8b4d-4116-86fe-63d4124edf0d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.00830%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Wilkens played in the NBA for 15 seasons, collecting multiple All-Star awards and leading the Seattle SuperSonics to their only championship in 1979.

[{"selector":"#anim-02bfb83d-d104-4163-ae60-6bdbe28c365f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab0f19ae-d2b9-4505-9186-8c7080ae7318","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-35973df8-dacf-4dca-8d37-74208d4dbd39","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 138.95425%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Wilkens went on to become a highly successful coach after retiring as a player, guiding many NBA teams such as the Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Atlanta Hawks.

[{"selector":"#anim-3fa61c22-73f8-4408-b81a-ba9d4dc0047d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(6.045252253467254%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3ebeaaf-2d6d-4e78-886e-b854e51ee215","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2833788f-d666-4669-a48a-19ef5c7bf057","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 132.58876%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Wilkens' coaching accomplishments include being the first African American head coach to win an NBA title and being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.

[{"selector":"#anim-cac926b2-aca1-421b-bed7-5755bc509800 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-714a2c64-0387-4b3d-9f63-28279c138c77","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4cf1d8ae-aeb8-4b1a-ac82-254f80243d00","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 126.91864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Throughout his career, Wilkens has been dedicated to philanthropy, founded the Lenny Wilkens Foundation for Children and supporting a variety of other philanthropic projects.

[{"selector":"#anim-6d3e76cb-53e2-4b02-8c09-fe704cb29786 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.552713678800501e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-40742f8f-7b44-42f4-a3c2-c68320631212","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-37057bef-9956-4f3e-a920-c109c4a424f0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 138.92668%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Wilkens' impact on basketball is tremendous, setting the way for future generations of coaches and players and inspiring numerous others with his passion and successes.