Corridor of Famer Don Nelson, some of the influential coaches and gamers in NBA historical past, has died at 86. Nelson’s household introduced Sunday that he handed away peacefully surrounded by household, in accordance with Marc Stein.
“On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving household,” the Nelson household stated. “All through his final week, family and friends encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured reminiscences.”
Nelson constructed a basketball profession that spanned greater than three many years as a participant, coach and government. He gained 5 NBA championships as a participant with the Boston Celtics and later turned one of many league’s most achieved coaches.
Nelson performed 14 NBA seasons from 1962 by means of 1976, spending the vast majority of his profession with Boston. He was a part of 5 championship groups with the Celtics and have become recognized for his versatility and outdoors capturing because the NBA advanced throughout the Nineteen Sixties and Seventies.
His teaching profession produced a fair bigger statistical legacy. Nelson completed with 1,335 regular-season victories, second on the NBA’s all-time record by means of the 2025-26 season, behind Gregg Popovich’s 1,390.
Nelson gained NBA Coach of the Yr 3 times, receiving the award in 1983, 1985 and 1992. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks throughout a profession that included 31 seasons as an NBA head coach.
His teaching fashion helped introduce ideas that turned more and more distinguished in trendy basketball. Nelson was notably related to up-tempo offense and using versatile forwards as major playmakers, together with the event of the “level ahead” idea.
Nelson additionally coached a number of the most memorable groups in NBA historical past. His Golden State Warriors reached the 2007 playoffs because the eighth seed and eradicated the 67-win Dallas Mavericks within the first spherical, changing into the primary eighth seed to defeat a 1-seed in a best-of-seven NBA playoff collection.
The Nelson household additionally introduced plans for a Celebration of Life on Thursday, Aug. 13, at Preston Hole Presbyterian Church in Dallas. An ashes ceremony in Maui for household and pals shall be introduced at a later date.
Nelson’s legacy extends throughout a number of eras of the NBA, from his championship years alongside the Celtics’ dynasty to his improvements as a coach. His 5 championships as a participant, three Coach of the Yr awards and 1,335 teaching victories place him among the many most achieved figures in league historical past.
