PORTLAND, Ore. (November 9, 2025) – The Portland Trail Blazers have released the following statement regarding the passing of Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and former Trail Blazers player and coach Lenny Wilkens. 

“All of Rip City is deeply saddened to hear of Lenny Wilkens passing. Lenny was an incredible person on and off the court, and his impact on the game of basketball will be felt for generations. A Pacific Northwest legend, his two seasons in Portland, as player-coach and then head coach during the early years of Blazer basketball, helped grow the game of basketball in Rip City while his work off the court inspired many. We join the basketball community in mourning the loss of a legend of the game.” 

Wilkens was a Hall of Fame player and coach, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, 1979 NBA Champion, a Nine-Time NBA All Star, 1994 NBA Coach of the Year, and member of the NBA 50th and 75th Anniversary teams. The Brooklyn, New York native joined the Trail Blazers in 1974 as a player-coach, averaging 6.5 points, 3.6 assists, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game over 65 appearances, and went on to compile a 75-89 record over two seasons as head coach. Off the court, he impacted countless lives with his leadership, generosity, and love for the game and was a tremendous father, grandfather, and husband.  

ABOUT THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 

Members of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970 and purchased by the late Paul G. Allen in 1988. The team’s rich heritage includes 37 playoff appearances, three trips to the NBA Finals, an NBA championship in 1977 and a commitment to community service and sustainability. The Trail Blazers are dedicated to positively impacting underserved kids and their families throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington where they live, learn and play. Portland is the first and only professional sports franchise to receive the prestigious National Points of Light Award for excellence in corporate and community service. The Trail Blazers home arena, Moda Center, is the first existing arena to earn LEED Platinum Certification in 2019 after receiving LEED Gold Recertification in 2015 and becoming the first existing professional sports venue in the world to receive LEED Gold status in 2010. The team is also one of the founding members of the Green Sports Alliance. For more information, visit trailblazers.com.