Kevan Lawrence Wilkins

Kevan was raised in Memphis, TN by his beloved mother Peggy and father Charles, who preceded him in the death. As an only child, he had very close relationships with his Uncles, Aunts, and cousins. Kevan’s first love was basketball. He would sneak out of his bedroom window early in the mornings to the backyard where he would quietly shoot the basketball on his goal, careful to not let the ball hit the ground. An ankle injury during basketball practice changed the rest of his life. While Kevan’s ankle was in a cast, he fell in love with the sounds of rock and blues guitar and began to teach himself how to play. At 17 years old, Kevan played guitar at a talent show, landing him a record contract that had him touring with Xavion, the first all-black rock band to appear on MTV. Kevan spoke fondly of the brotherhood and lifelong friendships that developed with his fellow bandmates; Dexter, Skip, Slugger, Johnnie, among others. After Xavion broke up, Kevan spent some years in Minnesota where he started a local band called Mad Man in which he was the front man and lead guitarist. He credited Jimi Hendrix as being the guitarist he was most influenced by. So much so, he has three portraits of Hendrix and Hendrix’s signature tattooed on his arm. In his career, Kevan recorded with artists like Prince, Annie Lennox, Hall and Oats, and Funkadelic.

Kevan’s next move was to Las Vegas, where music took a back seat to his overwhelming desire to learn about the field of software engineering. He began teaching himself website design and by 1999 had freelance designed many websites for local businesses. He was hired by Acres gaming as an audio engineer and his career in casino gaming took off from there. Kevan was constantly studying new programming languages and became a rockstar all over again in gaming. At the time of passing, Kevan spent 20+ years in the casino gaming industry and had developed a reputation amongst his peers acknowledging his experience, commitment to quality, and his never-ending drive to go above and beyond.

Kevan’s passion for music never waned through the years. He built a studio in his home which he used to record and produce a number of aspiring artists and groups. Kevan did not rent out studio time or charge for his services as a producer, instead he would only work with artists that he felt passionate about. He was constantly displaying his generosity and desire to help others. He loved being in the studio with his two sons. Nothing brought him joy like teaching guitar to his boys.

Kevan’s coaching legacy began in 2016 with the Las Vegas Basketball Academy Warriors. The program was all-inclusive and touched many lives in the four years Kevan and his wife ran the club. Kevan was passionate about training and helping players that wanted to get better.

Kevan volunteer trained at a small local gym on Sundays during the same time he was running his own club. His love for the game was obvious and shared by his family. With him and his wife coaching the Warriors and both boys playing, their family was a true story of love and basketball.

Kevan began coaching High School at Sierra Vista high school five years ago and spent the last four years coaching at Valley High School. He was assisting Varsity until this year, in which he stepped into the head coaching role, coaching his older son, Kevan Jr. This year, the Varsity boys team achieved its best league record since he had been coaching there.

Kevan also coached AAU basketball with Vegas Elite where he coached his younger son Koi and touched countless other lives through his training and coaching.

His impact on the community was far-reaching and overwhelmingly positive.

Kevan’s love for his family was evident in everything he did. He was present for his boys in every way possible. He would work all day and still have the passion and desire to go the courts everyday to coach basketball. He gave all of himself, always.

Kevan and his wife, Rana, were together so often that many people commented that when you saw one of them, the other wasn’t far away. Their love story spanned 24 years. Kevan often said their family was so blessed in love because they were generous to others in life.

Kevan had many other talents including the ability to draw, train dogs and play any instrument he picked up in a savant-like manner. There is no way to truly encompass and express the man he was in words. If you knew him in life, you know he cannot be summed up by some words on a piece of paper. He was and always will be, so much more.

Kevan was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Peggy Wilkins, his grandparents Adolph and Mary Marman, 1 Aunt Peanye Marmon and 4 Uncles Adolph Jr., Willie, Gentry and Larry Marmon. He is survived by his wife Rana and 2 sons Lil Kevan and Koi Wilkins, 4 Aunts Virgie Campbell, Vera, Carolyn and Sylvia Marmon and 1 Uncle Wilbur Marmon, 1 Sister/Cousin Tondra Marmon Cooper (Anthony); his Uncle’s and Aunt’s : Willie (Bernice) Wilkins, Robert Wilkins, Janeth (Emmit) McChriston, Maxine (John, Sr.) Lewis, Warnella Wilkins, Arthur Wilkins, Herbert (Andrea) Wilkins, Edwin (Linda) Wilkins, Charlotte Wilkins and a host of loving cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

A funeral service for Kevan will be held Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 8:30 AM at Palm Eastern Mortuary, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, Nevada 89123. Following the funeral service will be a committal service at 10:00 AM at Palm Eastern Cemetery, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, Nevada 89123.