Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA legend Don Nelson dies at 86
Don Nelson, a Basketball Hall of Famer, five-time NBA champion as a player and one of the league’s most influential coaches, died Sunday morning surrounded by his family. He was 86.
Nelson’s family said he died peacefully after spending his final week surrounded by loved ones, friends and family members who shared memories of his life and career.
A standout player at the University of Iowa, Nelson was selected 17th overall by the Chicago Zephyrs in the 1962 NBA Draft. He joined the Boston Celtics as a free agent ahead of the 1964-65 season and spent 11 seasons with the team, averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He won five championships with Boston, and the Celtics retired his No. 19 jersey in 1978.
Nelson moved into coaching after a 14-year playing career. He joined the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant in 1976 and became head coach just 15 games into the season. He later coached the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks during a 31-year coaching career.
Nelson finished with 1,335 regular-season victories and 1,063 losses, along with 18 playoff appearances. He held the NBA record for career coaching victories until Gregg Popovich surpassed him in 2022.
During his time in Dallas, Nelson played a major role in building the foundation of the Mavericks by helping select Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. He also coached Team USA to a gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championships.
Nelson was named NBA Coach of the Year three times, in 1983, 1985 and 1992. His unconventional coaching system, known as “Nellie Ball,” emphasized smaller, athletic lineups, speed and exploiting mismatches. The approach became influential throughout the league and helped shape the modern style of NBA basketball.
The Golden State Warriors remembered Nelson as a basketball visionary who challenged conventional ideas and helped influence generations of players and coaches.
After retiring from coaching, Nelson settled on a 22-acre farm in Maui, Hawaii. Following the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires, he opened his rental properties to families who had been displaced by the disaster.
Nelson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and was named among the NBA’s 50 greatest players during the league’s 50th anniversary celebration in 1996.
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