Seattle Inductees (2009)
LENNY WILKINS
Leonard Randolph “Lenny” Wilkens was born October 28, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York. His father was African American and his mother Irish. Wilkens was raised in the Roman Catholic Church. Lenny is a retired professional basketball player and coach in the NBA, as well as the league’s career leader in coaching win-loss totals. He was inducted twice into the Basketball Hall of Fame, first in 1989 as a player and then later as a coach in 1998.
At Boys High School, Wilkens was a basketball teammate of longtime Major League Baseball star Tommy Davis. Wilkens was a two-time All American (1959 and 1960) at providence College. He led the team to their first NIT appearance in 1959, and to the NIT finals in 1960. When he graduated, Wilkens was, with, 1,193 points, the second-ranked scorer in Friar history.
In 1996, the college, the first alumnus to receive such an honor, retired Wilkens’ #14 jersey.
Wilkens placed second to Wilt Chamberlain in the 1967-1968 MVP balloting. Wilkens was a nine-time NBA All-Star, and was named the 1971 NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1971. He led the league in assists in the 1969-70 season, and at the time of his retirement, Wilkens was the NBA’s second all-time leading playmaker, behind only Oscar Robertson. Nine-time All-Star and All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (1972), and a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
He retired from playing in 1975 and was the full-time coach of the Trail Blazers for one more season. After a season off, in 1977 he again became coach of the SuperSonics, where he coached for eight seasons (1977-1985), winning his (and Seattle’s) only NBA Championship in 1979. He would go on to coach Cleveland (1987–1993), Atlanta (1993–2000), Toronto (2000–2003) and New York (2004–2005). The Hall of Famer was named head coach of the New York Knicks on January 15, 2004. After the Knicks’ slow start to the 2004-2005 season, Wilkens resigned from the team on January 22, 2005.
He retired with 1,332 wins and 1,155 losses, both figures the most in NBA history. This comes from his 35 years of coaching in the NBA, among the longest tenure in the league.
He coached the Olympic Champion Men’s Basketball team in 1996 and was assistant coach on the 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team.
Wilkens is one of three players to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fames both as a player and a coach (the other two being John Wooden and Bill Sharman), joining the Hall in 1989 as a player and 1998 as a coach. He is also a member of the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame.
JAMES DONALDSON
After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the N.B.A. with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks and Utah Jazz. James was an N.B.A. All-Star in 1988 while playing as center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac –10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
He now devotes the majority of his time to various community activities, and toward the operations of The Donaldson Fitness & Physical Therapy Clinics, which are now located in Mill Creek, Seattle & Mukilteo, WA. He also works closely with The Seattle Supersonics basketball team in the community/public relations departments. James chose to become involved with physical therapy because of his own experience while suffering from a devastating knee injury. James is a long time resident of the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle.
Since his retirement from professional basketball, he has tirelessly committed himself and his resources to the improvements/involvements of various neighborhoods; especially those in which he has chosen to locate The Donaldson Fitness & Physical Therapy Centers, such as The Hilltop Neighborhood of Tacoma and the Central Seattle Neighborhood of Seattle.
He believes in being a role model of success and professionalism for the scores of young people that he devotes so much of his time to. He frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups
ZIAD ABDUL-AZIZ
Zaid Abdul-Aziz was born Donald A. Smith on April 7, 1946 in Brooklyn, New York. Growing to the stature of 6′9″ Abdul-Aziz developed an early love of basketball and became a three-time All-Big Eight player for Iowa State, averaging 23 points and 13 rebounds. He led the Big Eight in rebounding in 1965-68 (averaging 13.7 per game). And in his final two seasons he led the Big Eight in scoring, averaging 24.8 points per game as a junior and 24.2 as a senior.
He is one of only two Big Eight players to score 600 points in a season twice–619 in 1967 and 604 in 1968 (Wilt Chamberlain was the other). He is also one of only two Big Eight players to accumulate more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, for a total of 1,672 points and 1,025 rebounds. Abdul-Aziz was also selected for the Olympic team in 1968.
In 1968 he was drafted by the NBA’s Cincinnati Royals as fifth pick in the first round. He played 10 seasons in the league as a member of the Royals, Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Houston Rockets, Buffalo Braves, and Boston Celtics. Nicknamed “The Kangaroo”, he had his finest season in 1971-1972, when he averaged 13.8 points and 11.3 rebounds for Seattle. He retired in 1978 with career totals of 4,557 points and 4,065 rebounds.
Retiring to Seattle, he carried on with his distinguishing humility and kindness, forgoing the trappings of his former celebrity with the NBA. A characteristic anecdote tells of the genuine surprise from a man who had been Abdul Aziz’s co-worker at a homeless shelter in Seattle. The man never knew of Abdul Aziz’s pro basketball background until a chance meeting at a park, 10-years after they had worked side-by-side. “It was then that I found out that this humble, kind and sometimes poorly dressed man with whom I worked for a year — in the office next to mine — never let slip that he played in the NBA!” he said.
Abdul Aziz has also written a book, Darkness to Sunlight, about his life’s journey, through the worlds of sports and spirituality. The book is an inspiring ride of life lessons and tests of character, in such diverse places as the tip off of an NBA game, and in the midst of millions praying in Mecca.
HAROLD MILLS
H. Harold Mills attended Campbell Hill Elementary School, A.W. Dimmitt Junior High School, and Renton Senior High School. He also studied at S.O.I.C. Technical Center for Empowerment & Media logic.
Mills is a not a token African American hydroplane driver. He isn’t a part of the Unlimited Lights circuit just to make history, to become the first Black driver to compete at the Columbia Cup, or to gamer the same honor at Seafair in two weeks—though he did.
As a matter of fact Mills might be as deeply rooted in the sport as any driver in the Lanpson Pits. He’s paid his dues and it finally paid off. And that alone might mean as much to Mills as any racial significance his being in the sport of hydroplane racing.
“If you receive something just because of your race or gender, then you haven’t really made it in my opinion,” Mills said. “Thunder Valley has really kept affirmative action out of it. You have to earn what you get.” Mills received his Thunder Valley Unlimited Lights opportunity when regular driver Kelly Stocklin was injured in an accident. But Mill’s journey began long ago in Skyway—just south of Seattle—where, like many other kids of his generation, he attended Seafair religiously.
Unlike many of those kids, however, Mills didn’t have a hydro role model. There were no minority pioneers before him, only his dream and the support of hydro icons like Mill Muncey and Chip Hanauer. Mills recalls his first encounter with Muncey, when as a kid he asked “Mr. Muncey” if he could get an autograph. Muncey insisted the young kid call him Bill and gladly provided him with a signature. Mills raced seven years in the 2.5 Modified class and garnered the National High Points Championship along the way.
He was the backup driver for the U-25 Superior Racing team in 2001 and was a half a lap from a world record in his stepson’s “Fast Freddy” boat when he flipped viciously but escaped unscathed. Mills fought hard to make the Unlimited Lights final, taking second and third in his two heat races. Mills sees the big picture and knows his legacy will never be about his credentials, though he has them.
Somewhere there’s a kid just like him, who has the benefit of seeing the minority driver that Mills never saw. “His presence is real important, “said crew member and longtime friend Skip Young. “Even early on kids were always impressed to see a black guy out there.” Mills said.
Mills is a member of Commodore Seattle Inboard Racing Association. He is also the Vice Commodore and has a seat on the Board of Trustees; He is member of the Hydroplane Prop organization—a parent group for the unlimited hydroplanes. He has many awards: National Highpoint Champion, Region 10 High Point champion, Western Divisional Highpoint champion, Sportsman of the Year, recognition from two Seattle mayors, and George Babcock Driver of the Year, among others.
MIKE DAVIS
Born in Columbus, Georgia in 1942, Mike’s family moved to Riverside, California, where he began competing as a student athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. After graduating from Riverside Poly High School in 1960, Mike’s youth sports career was highlighted by competing in the National Boy’s Baseball World Series in Springfield, Illinois (1957-one of two African Americans); and being selected The Twin County All-Star Games’ “Most Valuable Back” award, for quarterbacking the Riverside County Team to Victory over the San Bernardino County All-Star Team—to his knowledge-the first African American Quarterback in “The Game’s” history.
In 1961 after all Eastern Conference Honors as a Running Back (at Riverside City College), Mike earned a football scholarship to the University of Utah, and was the recipient of the 1963 Amazitch Memorial Award (outstanding back-along with National Football League great, Roy Jefferson). At Utah, Mike also competed in baseball and was-to his knowledge-the first African American to play baseball at the university. In 1964, on the staff heard coach, Ray Nagel, Mike coached Utah’s defensive secondary, a team that won the Western Athletic Conference (9-1), and the Liberty Bowl. C.D. Lowery, strong safety, led the nation in interceptions, and two of the athletes he coached, safety Frank Andruski played professionally in the Canadian Football League. To his knowledge, he was the first African American collegiate coach in the state of Utah.
Responding to a United States Army draft notice, in 1965, Mike was assigned to play and coach the Berlin Brigade football team. In 1967 Mike coached and quarterbacked the 12-0 European championship team, producing two N.F.L Players-Willies Holman, Chicago Bears, and Herb Orvis, Detroit Lions.
A professional career (in the Canadian Football League) was cut short by injury and military service. In 1969, Mike began a Masters program at Lehigh University (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania). After a semester, he accepted an assistant football coaching position at the University of California, Riverside-the first African American football coach in the school’s history.
After a scouting position for the Hawaiians of the World Football League, Mike was hired to coach running backs at California State University, Long Beach (1976). The ’75 Long Beach State team had a record of 9 wins and 1 loss, and two of the players he coached played professionally: Herb Lusk, #2 rusher in the country (NCAA) Philadelphia Eagles; and Mark Bailey, Kansas City Chiefs.
After a position as Director of College Scouting for the New Orleans Breakers (of the USFL), Mike’s interest and focus has been in the area of preparing young student-athletes for college, subsequently, he is currently directing The Keepers Health and Education Research Project in Tacoma.
OTIS SISTRUNK
Otis Sistrunk (born 1946) was a professional football player who played seven seasons as a defensive lineman from 1972 to 1978. He played his entire career with the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Sistrunk later became a professional wrestler (in the National Wrestling Alliance). He also appeared in three films in the 1970s.
Sistrunk was one of the few NFL players of his day to not play college football, going directly from high school to the semi-pro Continental Football League in 1965. After three years in the CPFL, a Los Angeles Rams scout spotted Sistrunk and believed the 22-year-old could play in the NFL; eventually Sistrunk wound up in Oakland.
During a Monday Night Football telecast, a television camera beamed a sideline shot of Sistrunk’s steaming bald-head to the nation. That, along with his lack of a college education, prompted ABC commentator and ex-NFL player Alex Karras to suggest that Otis’ alma mater was the “University of Mars.” The name is with him today. Sistrunk was named to the Pro Bowl in (1974). “In the NFL, we think we can play forever, but we can’t,” said Sistrunk, 60. “When I got out of football – I’ll be honest with you – I didn’t know what I was going to do.”Since leaving football, Sistrunk has fashioned a second successful career as an Army civilian employee. Today, he runs Cowan & Memorial Stadium at Fort Lewis, Washington.