The legendary Don Nelson passed away on Sunday at the age of 86. Nelson will go down as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history for redefining the game with his patented ‘Nellie-Ball’ and for his amazing, colorful personality.
But once upon a time, he was also an excellent player, most notably for the Celtics, where he won five championships in 11 seasons. His number 19 was retired by the franchise in 1978, and his jersey will rightfully hang in the rafters forever.
His pro career actually started with the Chicago Zephyrs, the team that took him 17th overall in the 1962 NBA Draft. After just one season, he was claimed off waivers by the Lakers. In his second year with the Lakers, he reached the Finals and played against the Celtics in a losing effort.
After the 1965 Finals, Nellie became a free agent, and he signed with the Celtics; and the rest was history. He would help the team win championships in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, and 1976, before retiring after his final title.
Nelson was one of the greatest coaches in NBA history
But that was only the start, as Nelson began coaching the following season and would go on to become the second-winningest head coach in NBA history, serving the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks, and Mavericks. He won the NBA’s Coach of the Year Award three different times, coached in the All-Star Game twice, and was selected as one of the league’s 10 greatest coaches for the 50th anniversary of the NBA and once again as one of the 15 greatest coaches for the 75th anniversary celebration.
His iconic NBA career spanned five decades, and he’ll go down as a legend for multiple franchises in the league. Nelson became best known as a coach for his time with the Warriors and Mavericks, as he helmed Golden State from 1988-1995, then again from 2006-2010.Â
In between those stints, he was the leading man for Dallas from 1997-2005, where he was coach and GM. He played a major role in draft-day deals for Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash, and helped completely revive the franchise, revolutionizing the way the sport was played and leaving a lasting imprint on the city forever.
Nelson finally retired from coaching in 2010 and was named to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2012, one final place where his basketball legacy will live on. Nelson has been a great presence around the game since long before I was alive, and hopefully, he won’t be soon forgotten. Rest in peace, Don Nelson, and thoughts go out to his family on this sad day.
Add us as a preferred source on Google