- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,256,991
- Reaction score
- 59
Don Nelson, the three-time NBA coach of the year who won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, 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 Nelson family said in a statement relayed by Marc Stein on Twitter/X. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”
Nelson is the only man in NBA history with more than 1,000 wins as a coach who also won multiple championships as a player, all with the Boston Celtics (1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976).
MORE: Tight end for Georgia’s 1980 national championship team dies
A Michigan native, Nelson was drafted in the third round of the 1962 NBA Draft out of Iowa by the Chicago Zephyrs. He was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Lakers in September 1963, and spent the next two seasons as a reserve with the Jerry West and Elgin Baylor-led Lakers.
The Celtics signed Nelson in October 1965, beginning an 11-year stretch of his career in which he became a reliable shooter, rebounder and playmaker for some of the NBA’s best teams.
Nelson rose to even greater individual fame as a coach.
MORE: ESPN veteran, fired by NBA’s Trail Blazers, still hasn’t heard from team
Nelson got his start as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1976-77, then became the Bucks’ head coach as a midseason replacement for Larry Costello. From 1977-87, the Bucks had a losing record in only one regular season under Nelson.
Nelson coached the Golden State Warriors (1988-95, 2006-10), New York Knicks (1995-96), Dallas Mavericks (1997-05), compiling a career record of 1335-1063. Only Gregg Popovich has more wins as a coach in NBA history.
MORE: Former Heat guard, 32, announces immediate retirement from NBA
Nelson’s greatest success on the sideline came with the Mavericks in 2002-03, when they went 60-22 before ultimately losing in the Western Conference Finals to the San Antonio Spurs.
Nelson was named the NBA coach of the year in 1983, 1985 and 1992. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —
Continue reading...
“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 Nelson family said in a statement relayed by Marc Stein on Twitter/X. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”
Nelson is the only man in NBA history with more than 1,000 wins as a coach who also won multiple championships as a player, all with the Boston Celtics (1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976).
MORE: Tight end for Georgia’s 1980 national championship team dies
A Michigan native, Nelson was drafted in the third round of the 1962 NBA Draft out of Iowa by the Chicago Zephyrs. He was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Lakers in September 1963, and spent the next two seasons as a reserve with the Jerry West and Elgin Baylor-led Lakers.
The Celtics signed Nelson in October 1965, beginning an 11-year stretch of his career in which he became a reliable shooter, rebounder and playmaker for some of the NBA’s best teams.
Nelson rose to even greater individual fame as a coach.
MORE: ESPN veteran, fired by NBA’s Trail Blazers, still hasn’t heard from team
Nelson got his start as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1976-77, then became the Bucks’ head coach as a midseason replacement for Larry Costello. From 1977-87, the Bucks had a losing record in only one regular season under Nelson.
Nelson coached the Golden State Warriors (1988-95, 2006-10), New York Knicks (1995-96), Dallas Mavericks (1997-05), compiling a career record of 1335-1063. Only Gregg Popovich has more wins as a coach in NBA history.
MORE: Former Heat guard, 32, announces immediate retirement from NBA
Nelson’s greatest success on the sideline came with the Mavericks in 2002-03, when they went 60-22 before ultimately losing in the Western Conference Finals to the San Antonio Spurs.
Nelson was named the NBA coach of the year in 1983, 1985 and 1992. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —
Continue reading...
