Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Pitt (Exhibition) on October 19, 2025 , Loss , 74, to, 81
Men's Basketball
at Pitt (Exhibition)
Final
74
-
81
Providence College Athletics
Friar Legend Lenny Wilkens Passes Away
11/9/2025 8:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Wilkens was a two-time All-American for the Friars.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Former Friar All-American Lenny Wilkens '60 passed away today (Nov. 9). Wilkens is one of the Friar all-time greats. In three seasons with the Friars, he scored 1,193 points in 80 games (14.9 ppg). He helped lead the Friars to the NIT in his junior and senior seasons. Wilkens was named All-American in 1959 and 1960. He was named MVP of the NIT in 1960. He played all three seasons as a Friar for legendary Head Coach Joe Mullaney.
Wilkens was inducted in the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972 and his number 14 was hung in the rafters of the Amica Mutual Pavilion in 1996.
Upon graduating from Providence in 1960, Wilkens went on to have a long and prosperous career in the NBA as a player and a coach. He was the sixth overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft when he was selected by the St. Louis Hawks. He would earn nine NBA All-Star selections over 15 seasons with the St. Louis Hawks (eight years), Seattle SuperSonics (four years), Cleveland Cavaliers (two years), and Portland Trail Blazers (one year).
He also coached for 32 seasons in the NBA. His coaching career featured multiple stints with teams such as the Seattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, and New York Knicks. Over those 32 seasons, he amassed 1,332 victories. He guided the 1979 Seattle Supersonics to the NBA title.
He was inducted in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame three times. In 1989, Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player. In 1998, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach. He earned his third induction in 2009 as an Assistant Coach to 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team.
WILKENS FACTS
Born: October 28, 1937, Brooklyn, N.Y.
College: Providence College (1960)
32nd on all-time scoring list (1,193 points)
All-American (1958-59, 1959-60)
Most Valuable Player - 1960 NIT Tournament
First Round Draft Choice of the St. Louis Hawks
Selected to Providence College Hall of Fame (1972)
Number retired (1996) Member of the Board of Trustees (1996)
Professional Basketball: Played for St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland and Portland Nine-time All-Star (MVP of 1971 game)
Played in 1,077 Games
Scored 17,772 Points (16.5 ppg) Had 7,211 Assists (6.7 apg)
Named to NBA's 50 Greatest Players List (1996-97)
Selected to Basketball Hall of Fame as Player (1989)
Selected to NBA 75th Anniversary Team as player
Coaching Career: Coached Seattle, Portland, Cleveland, Atlanta, Toronto and New York NBA's 3rd All-Time Winningest Coach with 1,332 Wins Most Games as Head Coach in NBA History with 2,487
Coached USA Team to Gold Medal in 1996 Olympics in Atlanta
Coached Seattle to 1979 NBA Title
Named to NBA's All-Time Top Ten Coaches List
Only person on NBA's Top Players and Top Coaches Lists
Selected for the second time to the Basketball Hall of Fame as Coach (1998)
Selected to NBA 75th Anniversary Team as coach
Selected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame (2006)
Selected for the third time to the Basketball Hall of Fame as an Assistant Coach to 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team
Wilkens was inducted in the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972 and his number 14 was hung in the rafters of the Amica Mutual Pavilion in 1996.
Upon graduating from Providence in 1960, Wilkens went on to have a long and prosperous career in the NBA as a player and a coach. He was the sixth overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft when he was selected by the St. Louis Hawks. He would earn nine NBA All-Star selections over 15 seasons with the St. Louis Hawks (eight years), Seattle SuperSonics (four years), Cleveland Cavaliers (two years), and Portland Trail Blazers (one year).
He also coached for 32 seasons in the NBA. His coaching career featured multiple stints with teams such as the Seattle SuperSonics, Portland Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, and New York Knicks. Over those 32 seasons, he amassed 1,332 victories. He guided the 1979 Seattle Supersonics to the NBA title.
He was inducted in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame three times. In 1989, Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player. In 1998, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach. He earned his third induction in 2009 as an Assistant Coach to 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team.
WILKENS FACTS
Born: October 28, 1937, Brooklyn, N.Y.
College: Providence College (1960)
32nd on all-time scoring list (1,193 points)
All-American (1958-59, 1959-60)
Most Valuable Player - 1960 NIT Tournament
First Round Draft Choice of the St. Louis Hawks
Selected to Providence College Hall of Fame (1972)
Number retired (1996) Member of the Board of Trustees (1996)
Professional Basketball: Played for St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland and Portland Nine-time All-Star (MVP of 1971 game)
Played in 1,077 Games
Scored 17,772 Points (16.5 ppg) Had 7,211 Assists (6.7 apg)
Named to NBA's 50 Greatest Players List (1996-97)
Selected to Basketball Hall of Fame as Player (1989)
Selected to NBA 75th Anniversary Team as player
Coaching Career: Coached Seattle, Portland, Cleveland, Atlanta, Toronto and New York NBA's 3rd All-Time Winningest Coach with 1,332 Wins Most Games as Head Coach in NBA History with 2,487
Coached USA Team to Gold Medal in 1996 Olympics in Atlanta
Coached Seattle to 1979 NBA Title
Named to NBA's All-Time Top Ten Coaches List
Only person on NBA's Top Players and Top Coaches Lists
Selected for the second time to the Basketball Hall of Fame as Coach (1998)
Selected to NBA 75th Anniversary Team as coach
Selected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame (2006)
Selected for the third time to the Basketball Hall of Fame as an Assistant Coach to 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team
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