Don Nelson, the Hall of Fame coach and five-time NBA champion as a player, has died aged 86, his family said on Sunday.
Nelson died peacefully surrounded by his family, according to a statement. He leaves one of the most distinguished coaching records in NBA history, with 1,335 regular-season victories, second only to Gregg Popovich.
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,” his family said in a statement.
Nelson’s basketball career spanned both sides of the NBA’s history. As a player, he won five championships with the Boston Celtics during an 11-year spell with the franchise. Boston later retired his No. 19 jersey in 1978. Overall, he played 14 NBA seasons.
His greatest influence, however, came after he moved into coaching.
Nelson coached for 31 seasons, leading the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.
He won the NBA Coach of the Year award three times and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Although Nelson never won an NBA championship as a head coach, his teams repeatedly challenged conventional basketball thinking.
His most famous coaching achievement came in 2007, when his Golden State Warriors eliminated the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs.
Nelson also led Milwaukee to seven consecutive Central Division titles and helped turn Dallas into a serious contender during his eight seasons with the Mavericks.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver described Nelson as an innovator whose influence went far beyond his win-loss record.
Don Nelson revolutionized NBA basketball through his fearlessness, ingenuity and deep conviction,” Silver said.
He brought an unmistakable personality to everything he did, and his impact on our sport will continue to be felt for generations.” Silver added.
The Golden State Warriors, where Nelson coached and became an iconic figure, also highlighted his willingness to challenge established ideas.
Nellie’ was one of the most innovative and influential coaches in NBA history and an iconic figure in Warriors history,” the team said.
The Warriors added that Nelson was a basketball visionary who “saw the game differently” and was unafraid to challenge conventional thinking.
Nelson retired from coaching in 2010, ending a second stint with Golden State. His contribution to basketball continued to receive recognition after retirement: in June 2025, he received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Basketball Coaches Association.
His legacy therefore rests on two remarkable achievements: he was a five-time NBA champion as a player with Boston and later became one of the league’s most successful and innovative coaches.
Nelson’s death marks the passing of a figure whose influence extended well beyond his 1,335 coaching victories.
NBA leaders and the Warriors have specifically credited his willingness to challenge traditional basketball ideas with helping shape the modern game.
