Don Nelson, the Iowa basketball star who became a Hall of Fame figure in the NBA, has died at 86.
His family announced his death in a statement shared by NBA reporter Marc Stein: "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," Nelson's family said in a statement, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein. "Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories."
Nelson’s basketball roots were built in Iowa, where he was named the Hawkeyes’ most valuable player in 1960, 1961 and 1962. He left the program as a two-time All-American and with a career average of 21.2 points per game across 72 games. Over his final two seasons, he posted a double-double average with 23.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.
The Chicago Zephyrs picked him 17th overall in the 1962 NBA Draft, and Nelson eventually landed with the Boston Celtics. He signed with Boston before the 1964-65 season and became part of a run that produced five NBA championships: 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974 and 1976.
During those 11 seasons with the Celtics, Nelson averaged 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while helping pile up those titles.
After his playing days, Nelson became one of the most influential coaches the league has seen. He was the architect of “Nellie Ball,” a style built around smaller, more athletic players, a quick tempo and matchup-hunting offense.
He closed his coaching career with a regular-season record of 1,335-1,063, and at retirement he held the NBA’s all-time wins mark until Gregg Popovich passed him in 2022. Nelson’s teams reached the playoffs 18 times, and he finished with a 75-91 postseason record.
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