Former NBA player and head coach Don Nelson died on Sunday morning at the age of 86, the league announced.
In a statement shared by reporter Marc Stein, Nelson's family confirmed that their husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away on Sunday morning.
Championship Career with the Celtics
Nelson played for the Boston Celtics from 1965 to 1976, winning five NBA championships during his tenure with the franchise. The Celtics retired his number 19 jersey, which hangs from the rafters at TD Garden.
After retiring as a player, Nelson moved to the bench and coached the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, and Golden State Warriors across 31 seasons.
Coaching Records and Legacy
Nelson won the NBA Coach of the Year award three times, taking the honor in 1983, 1985, and 1992. He also selected Steph Curry in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft while coaching Golden State.
For 12 years, Nelson held the all-time NBA record for most wins by a head coach with 1,333 victories. He surpassed Lenny Wilkens for the record in 2010, before Gregg Popovich broke his mark in 2022.
Although Nelson spent 31 seasons on the bench without winning a title as a head coach, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
