Nick Nurse steps away from Sixers to attend brother’s funeral

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Nick Nurse steps away from Sixers to attend brother’s funeral

Originally posted on Ball Exclusives | By James Parker | Last updated May 5, 2026 5:39 PM ET

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse stepped away from the team on Tuesday to attend his older brother’s funeral, the team told both The Inquirer and The Athletic.

Nick Nurse is away from the Sixers today to attend the funeral services of his brother, Steve, in Iowa.

Steve, 62, died unexpectedly last Wednesday, the day before Game 6 of Sixers-Celtics. https://t.co/zVikMFM5yk

— Gina Mizell (@ginamizell) May 5, 2026

Steve Nurse passed away unexpectedly last week at the age of 62, just one day before the Sixers’ Game 6 win over the Boston Celtics.

Nick remained with the Sixers through their historic 3-1 comeback over the Celtics. He reportedly traveled back to his hometown of Caroll, Iowa on Monday night after Philadelphia’s Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks.

Nurse won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and is now in his third season with the Sixers.

In his absence, the team reportedly held a film session on Tuesday, but did not practice. Nurse is expected to rejoin the Sixers in New York on Tuesday night.

This article first appeared on Ball Exclusives and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: