Legendary NBA coach Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in league history, has died. He was 86.
“On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family,” the former NBA coach’s family said in a Sunday, August 9, statement, per ESPN. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”
A cause of death has not been publicly revealed at the time of publication.
Nelson won five NBA titles in his 11 seasons playing for the Boston Celtics before he went on to coach 31 seasons in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.
The Celtics retired the former coach’s No. 19 jersey in 1978. (Nelson spent 14 total seasons in the NBA as a player.)
“The Celtics extend our deepest condolences to Nelson’s family, loved ones, and everyone he touches through his rich and impactful life in basketball beyond,” the Celtics organization said in a statement in the wake of Nelson’s death, per ESPN.
Don Nelson Getty Images
During his time as a NBA coach Nelson made 18 playoff appearances, finishing with an overall postseason record of 75-91. He retired as the winningest coach in NBA history in 2010 — a record eventually broken by San Antonio Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich in March 2022.
“Don Nelson was a true innovator whose influence on the game of basketball is still felt today,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said in a Sunday statement. “He consistently challenged conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and styles of play and saw possibilities in the game that others often did not. So much of what is now commonplace in modern NBA can be traced back to the way Nellie approached the game.”
Part of the late coach’s unique approach to professional basketball was his ability to utilize players considered to be conventionally small for the league, creating a more fast-paced offense that allowed for strategic mismatches on the court. His style was later dubbed “Nellie Ball” — a philosophy that has since spanned not only the NBA but collegiate and high school basketball programs the world over.
“Nellie was ahead of his time and there was nobody else like him,” Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway said in a statement, per ESPN. “He had an incredible impact on my career and on the game of basketball. I’m going to miss him, and my thoughts and prayers with Joy, Donnie and the entire Nelson family.”
Several players also paid their respects to the legendary coach in the wake of his death, including stars Dirk Nowitzki and Stephen Curry.
“One of the big reasons I was drafted by the Warriors was because of Dan Nelson,” Curry said in a statement on Sunday, per ESPN. “The story is he never liked rookies, but from Day 1 he challenged me and gave me an opportunity to be my best self on the court. He taught me a lot during our one season together and I’ll never forget the night he became the winningest coach in NBA history in Minnesota. We were so happy for him.”
Curry continued, “He had an immeasurable impact on the sport and will go down as one of the greatest minds in the history of the game. He’s a true icon and will be missed by the countless number of people he touched, including myself, during a legendary career.”
Nelson is survived by his wife, Joy Wolfgram, his four children from his first marriage to Sharon Strombeck, two stepsons, his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
