Don Nelson, one of the most influential figures the NBA has ever seen, has died at age 86, his family announced in a statement, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
“ 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. Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”
A Hall of Famer since 2012, Nelson leaves behind a coaching résumé that sits near the top of the league’s all-time list. He won 1,335 games and lost 1,063 across 31 seasons with Milwaukee, Golden State, New York and Dallas, good for second place on the NBA’s career wins chart. He also became one of just two coaches in league history to reach 300 or more victories with three different teams - the Bucks, Warriors and Mavericks - alongside Lenny Wilkens, who died in November.
Before he ever paced the sideline, Nelson made his mark as a player. He spent 11 of his 14 NBA seasons with Boston, won five championships with the Celtics and appeared in 1,043 regular-season games. The 6-foot-6 small forward averaged 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game.
Nelson’s impact stretched well beyond the bench. He was known as an offensive innovator and also worked in front offices, serving as both coach and general manager for Milwaukee, Golden State in his first stint there, and Dallas. Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News reported that Nelson played a central role in the Mavericks’ draft-night additions of Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki in 1998.
Nowitzki reflected on that connection in June when Nelson received the James Naismith Family Legacy Award in Dallas.
“ Don the legend; happy to be here for him,” Nowitzki said in June, when Nelson received James Naismith Family Legacy Award in Dallas. “ He was obviously the guy that jump-started my career.
“ He gave me a lot of confidence. His way of seeing basketball, with the whole mismatch and shooting, just played into my hands. I’ve always said if I would have had another coach, if I would have gone to another team, things could have worked out a lot differently.
“ Nellie was just the perfect coach for me, to start my career here.”
Townsend also reported that Nelson had recently moved from Maui, Hawaii, to Frisco, Texas, earlier this year. His family said he suffered a stroke three weeks ago and had been in hospice care.
Nelson’s honors continued this year, when the National Basketball Coaches Association gave him the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 NBA Finals. He also helped lead the U.S. National Team to gold at the 1994 FIBA World Championships.
His basketball legacy extended into the Mavericks’ family, too. His son, Donnie Nelson, later became Dallas’ general manager and spent several years with the organization, including during its 2011 title run.
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Don Nelsons place in basketball history was secure long before he ever became a central figure in Dallas. A Hall of Fame player and coach, Nelson died at 86 after a career that included five NBA championships with the Boston Celtics and a run that made him the second-winningest coach in league history. He was also one of the games most inventive thinkers, the architect of Nellie Ball, and a coach whose ideas often pushed the sport forward.
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