Don Nelson, Boston Celtics, coaching legend, dies at 86

Boston Celtics and coaching legend Don Nelson passed away at the age of 86 on Sunday morning, per a family statement. Nelson was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

“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,” a family statement read. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”

Nelson was a five-time NBA champion as a player, all with the Celtics in 1966, ’68, ’69, ’74 and ’76. His No. 19 is retired by the franchise.

As a coach, Nelson also impressed the basketball world as a coach, where he was named NBA Coach of the Year three times in 1983, ’85 and ’92 when he coached the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors at that time.

Nelson played from 1962-76 as a small forward for the Chicago Zephyrs, Los Angeles Lakers and Celtics. He coached the Bucks, Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks from 1976-2010.

While he didn’t win a win a ring as a coach, Nelson was considered a Top 10 NBA coach all-time at the time of the NBA’s 50th anniversary as a league. He finished with a 1,335-1,063 record across over three decades on the sidelines. Nelson led the Bucks to the conference finals three times when he was the head coach.

Nelson scored 10,898 career points, had 5,192 rebounds and 1,526 assists during his playing days. His greatness as a player was evident during his collegiate days at Iowa, where he was a third-team All-American in 1962. He wound up a third round pick by the Zephyrs, now known as the Washington Wizards.

“He was the innovator of small ball offense, which is now a trend that is used by teams at every level now, commonly referred to as ‘Nellie Ball,'” Nelson’s Hall of Fame description reads. “With Nelson’s years of experience, he was named as one of the NBA’s Ten Best Coaches of All Time in 1996, following being named NBA coach of the year three times and coaching the 1994 Dream Team II to a gold medal.

“Through his shared skills, dedication, and motivation, Nelson is the only coach in league history to have coached three different teams to over 300 wins. His contributions and longevity have shown just how truly diverse his knowledge is of the game.”