MAUI, Hawaii — Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history and a five-time NBA champion as a player with the Boston Celtics, has died at 86. His family confirmed his death Sunday, saying he passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones, but did not disclose his location or cause of death.
- Don Nelson died Sunday at age 86, his family confirmed.
- He won five NBA championships as a player with the Boston Celtics.
- Nelson finished his coaching career with 1,335 NBA victories.
- He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Don Nelson leaves behind a record-setting NBA coaching career
Nelson retired with 1,335 regular-season coaching victories, a figure that made him the NBA’s winningest coach at the time. He held that distinction for nearly 12 years before Gregg Popovich moved ahead of him in March 2022.
Across 31 seasons, Nelson coached in the playoffs 18 times and won Coach of the Year honors three times. He also became one of only two coaches in league history to record at least 250 victories with three different franchises: the Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors.
Nelson also served as general manager for each of those three organizations, giving him an unusually broad influence over both coaching and roster construction.
Five championships shaped Nelson’s playing career
Before becoming one of basketball’s most influential coaches, Nelson spent 14 seasons as an NBA player, including 11 with Boston. He was part of five Celtics championship teams under four different coaches.
After retiring as a player, Nelson moved into coaching with Milwaukee. He became the Bucks’ head coach during the 1976-77 season after Larry Costello resigned and remained in the position for 11 seasons, guiding Milwaukee to seven consecutive division titles.
His coaching philosophy emphasized speed, transition basketball and unconventional lineups. Nelson credited Celtics Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach with teaching him the mechanics of the fast break, an influence that later became central to his own offensive approach.
Golden State’s ‘Run TMC’ era defined Nellie Ball
Nelson’s fast-paced system became especially prominent during his time with Golden State. The Warriors’ “Run TMC” era featured future Hall of Famers Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin, with Nelson determined to put all three on the floor together.
His later Golden State teams produced another landmark moment in the 2007 playoffs. The eighth-seeded Warriors, led by Baron Davis, eliminated Dirk Nowitzki and the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the opening round in a stunning seven-game upset.
Davis remembered Nelson as a coach who understood the strengths of that Warriors group and helped them believe they could challenge any opponent.
Nelson helped shape Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Stephen Curry
Nelson’s influence extended beyond his own coaching record. While coaching Dallas, he worked alongside his son Donnie Nelson, who later became the Mavericks’ general manager. Together, they persuaded 20-year-old German prospect Dirk Nowitzki to join Dallas rather than continue playing European basketball.
Nelson also helped develop Steve Nash, who later won consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player awards with the Phoenix Suns in 2005 and 2006.
In his final coaching season with Golden State in 2009-10, Nelson worked with rookie Stephen Curry. Curry later credited Nelson with challenging him from the beginning and giving him an opportunity to develop on the court.
Steve Kerr praises Nelson’s influence on modern basketball
Current Warriors coach Steve Kerr described Nelson as a basketball innovator whose influence remains visible throughout today’s NBA. Kerr said Nelson regularly challenged conventional ideas and experimented with lineups and playing styles.
Nelson’s coaching career also included stops with the New York Knicks, where he was fired before completing a full season, and Dallas, where he coached for eight seasons. He missed 21 games with the Mavericks beginning in December 2000 while recovering from prostate cancer surgery.
Hall of Fame recognition capped an extraordinary career
Nelson entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2025, he received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Basketball Coaches Association.
Even in retirement, Nelson remained outspoken about basketball. At the 2025 awards ceremony, he criticized the Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, calling the move a “tremendous mistake.”
Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Nelson attended high school in Rock Island, Illinois, and averaged a double-double during his college career at Iowa. He spent his retirement years on Maui, where he also owned several short-term rental properties.
Nelson’s legacy extends beyond his 1,335 victories. His emphasis on pace, versatility and unconventional lineups helped shape ideas that became increasingly common in modern NBA basketball, while his influence reached generations of players and coaches.
