Rick Carlyle and Steve Kerr pay tribute to Lenny Wilkens

During his NBA career, either as a player or a coach, Lenny Wilkens deeply marked those who crossed his path. among them, Rick Carlisle etc Steve Kerr are among those who have particularly fond memories of the man and mentor.

Lenny Wilkens coached Steve Kerr in Cleveland in the early 1990s, while Rick Carlisle succeeded him as president of the NBA Coaches Association in 2005.

“When I became coach in 2001, Lenny always made himself available to young coaches, while being a fierce competitor” describes the Pacers coach. “He was an outstanding communicator, I will remember him as a true gentleman, someone eloquent. He was a truly special human being.”

Steve Kerr, who learned of Lenny Wilkens’ death during his pre-match press conference, was visibly emotional. He, too, remembers a coach who was both demanding and deeply human, and shared two anecdotes that reveal the personality of Seattle’s former “godfather of basketball.”

“Pension, health insurance for coaches, that’s him”

“The first memory I have of Lenny is when he was at one of our training sessions when I was in Cleveland. We had a lot of injured players and he was taking part in training. It must have been 1990/91, so fifteen years after he retired as a player and he was still able to hold his own against active players.”

“He was someone of great dignity, with enormous confidence even if he was discreet. He had a difficult life, growing up as a black man in an American society riddled with discrimination. He often shared his experiences with his players. He was an extraordinary person.” continues Steve Kerr.

In addition to his athletic legacy, Lenny Wilkens has also worked to gain coaching recognition within the league. Great progress has been made under his presidency of the NBA Coaches Association.

“Pension, health insurance for coaches, that’s him” recalls Rick Carlyle. “Coaching salaries in the NBA have increased significantly during his tenure. He has been an incredible spokesperson for coaches in the league. He has always strived to fight for us and ensure that the coaching experience is recognized as it should be.”

Comments collected in San Francisco.