Don Nelson Dies at 86: Second-Winningest NBA Coach and Five-Time Champion

Don Nelson dies at age 86, leaving a legacy of 1,335 coaching wins and five NBA championships earned during his 11 seasons with the Boston Celtics.

Don Nelson, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who recorded 1,335 regular-season wins as a head coach, died Sunday at the age of 86. His family confirmed he passed away peacefully on Sunday morning surrounded by relatives. Nelson retired with the most coaching victories in NBA history, a record that stood until Gregg Popovich surpassed the mark in March 2022. Over 31 seasons leading the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks, Nelson compiled a career coaching record of 1,335-1,063 and made 18 playoff appearances, resulting in a 75-91 postseason record.

As a player, Nelson secured five NBA championships during an 11-season tenure with the Boston Celtics. He averaged 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during his time in Boston, which eventually led to the franchise retiring his No. 19 jersey in 1978. Throughout his 14-season playing career, which included stints with the Chicago Zephyrs and Los Angeles Lakers, Nelson appeared in 1,053 regular-season games, averaging 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds. In 150 playoff games, his production remained consistent at 10.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest.

The Innovation of Nellie Ball

Nelson transitioned to coaching immediately after his playing days, joining the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant for the 1976-77 season. He was elevated to head coach just 15 games into that campaign following the dismissal of Larry Costello. During 11 seasons in Milwaukee, he missed the postseason only twice and captured seven consecutive Central Division titles. It was here that he developed "Nellie Ball," an unorthodox tactical philosophy utilizing smaller, athletic lineups to create speed-based mismatches. Warriors coach Steve Kerr noted that Nelson’s willingness to experiment with lineups saw possibilities in the game that others did not.

His coaching accolades include three NBA Coach of the Year awards, earned in 1983, 1985, and 1992. Despite his regular-season success, Nelson never reached the NBA Finals as a coach, often falling to Eastern Conference powers Boston and Philadelphia during his Milwaukee tenure. Beyond the NBA, he led "Dream Team II" to a gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championships and served as a coach for two NBA All-Star Games.

Roster Building and Draft Success

Nelson spent two separate stints with the Golden State Warriors, first for seven seasons ending in 1994-95, and later for four seasons beginning in 2006-07. During the 2009 NBA draft, he advocated for the selection of Stephen Curry with the No. 7 overall pick. Curry recalled that Nelson challenged him from his first day to be his best self on the court. Nelson also famously became the winningest coach in league history during a game in Minnesota while coaching the Warriors.

In Dallas, Nelson served eight seasons as head coach and worked alongside his son, Donnie Nelson, who was an assistant and later general manager. He was instrumental in acquiring future Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash through draft-day transactions. To ensure Nowitzki remained a Maverick, Nelson hid the prospect in his son’s basement for a week prior to the 1998 draft to prevent other teams from conducting workouts with him. His brief tenure with the New York Knicks in 1995-96 lasted 59 games, where he posted a 34-25 record before being replaced by Jeff Van Gundy.

Life After Basketball in Maui

Following his retirement from the NBA, Nelson moved to a 22-acre farm in Maui, Hawai'i. He transitioned into entrepreneurship, growing coffee, flowers, and cannabis. In 2023, following devastating wildfires on the island, Nelson opened his rental properties to house families who had lost their homes. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Nelson entered the NBA as the 17th pick in the 1962 draft by the Chicago Zephyrs after a collegiate career at Iowa, eventually becoming one of the most influential minds in professional basketball history.