- Don Nelson has died at 86
- He won five NBA titles as a player
- Nelson became one of the NBA’s most influential coaches
Don Nelson, one of the most successful and influential coaches in NBA history, has died at the age of 86, his family announced on Sunday.
Nelson built a remarkable legacy both as a player and coach.
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During his 11 seasons with the Boston Celtics, he won five NBA championships between 1966 and 1976, earning a place among the franchise’s most celebrated players. The Celtics later retired his No. 19 jersey.
His achievements from the sidelines were equally significant. Nelson coached in the NBA for more than three decades, leading the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks between 1976 and 2010.
He finished his coaching career with 1,335 victories and 1,063 defeats, a win total that stood as the league record until Gregg Popovich moved past him in 2022.
Although Nelson never guided a team to an NBA Finals appearance as a head coach, his innovative approach to the game made him one of the sport’s most influential coaches. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver described Nelson as a coach who changed the way basketball was played through his creativity, courage and willingness to challenge established ideas.
The Golden State Warriors also mourned the former coach, highlighting his lasting contribution to the franchise. The team described Nelson as an influential basketball thinker whose personality and passion made him an iconic figure in Warriors history.
Current Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Nelson’s ideas continue to influence the modern NBA.
Kerr praised Nelson for constantly experimenting with different lineups and tactics and for recognising possibilities that other coaches often overlooked. He noted that several approaches now common across the league can be traced to Nelson’s coaching philosophy.
The Boston Celtics remembered Nelson for his durability, intelligence and all-round ability during his playing career. The franchise said he played an important role in championship-winning teams across two different eras.
Nelson also made a major impact during his first NBA coaching assignment with the Milwaukee Bucks. He spent 11 seasons with the team from 1976 to 1987 and won two of his three Coach of the Year awards during that period.
The Dallas Mavericks, another of the teams he coached, described Nelson as a basketball innovator and a legend whose contribution would remain part of the franchise’s history.
Nelson’s career spanned nearly five decades in professional basketball, leaving a lasting influence as both a championship-winning player and a pioneering NBA coach.
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