CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION providing an honorary designation of Thomas St between 1st Ave N and 2nd Ave N as “Lenny Wilkens Way.”
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WHEREAS, Lenny Wilkens is a legendary basketball player and coach, having been inducted into the Washington Sports Hall of Fame and College Basketball Hall of Fame and inducted three times to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (as an NBA player, NBA coach, and assistant coach of the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team”), been awarded Honorary Doctors of Humanities by Providence College and Seattle University, has been named 13 times an NBA All-Star, has won two Olympic Gold Medals in 1992 and 1996, and has coached more games than any other coach in NBA history; and
WHEREAS, after receiving his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Economics from Providence College, serving as a Lieutenant in the US Army, and playing the first part of his NBA career with the St. Louis Hawks, Lenny Wilkens began his four year tenure as a player with the Seattle Supersonics (1969-72), three of which he served as head coach for the team while also continuing as the team’s starting point guard. After returning to the team in 1977 as head coach, Wilkens led the Sonics to a Western Conference Championship, followed by another conference championship during the 1978-79 season that culminated in a 5-game NBA Finals win over the Washington Bullets to claim the Sonics’ one and only World Championship title; and
WHEREAS, in addition to continuing to inspire Seattle sports fans, Lenny Wilkens continues to live in and serve the Seattle community as the founder and chair of the Lenny Wilkens Foundation for Children where he has raised over $7.5 million for the Odessa Brown Clinic, as well as other organizations that provide care and opportunities for local disadvantaged youth in Seattle; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. Thomas St between 1st Ave N and 2nd Ave N shall have an honorary designation as "Lenny Wilkens Way."
Section 2. The Council requests that the Seattle Department of Transportation manufacture, install, and maintain an honorary sign at the northeast corner of N Thomas St and 1st Ave N, which shall reflect the “Lenny Wilkens Way” honorary designation.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2021, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2021.
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President ____________ of the City Council
The Mayor concurred the ________ day of _________________________, 2021.
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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2021.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)