Abayomi Bolatito
Former NBA player and legendary coach Don Nelson has died at the age of 86, his family announced on Sunday.
Nelson, who won five NBA championships during his playing career with the Boston Celtics, remains one of the most successful coaches in league history. The Celtics honoured his contribution by retiring his No. 19 jersey.
As a coach, Nelson recorded 1,335 wins and 1,063 losses during his long career with the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks between 1976 and 2010. His win record stood as an NBA coaching milestone until Gregg Popovich surpassed it in 2022.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver described Nelson as a basketball pioneer whose creativity and bold approach transformed the sport.
“Don Nelson revolutionised NBA basketball through his fearlessness, ingenuity and deep conviction,” Silver said, praising his nearly five decades of contributions to the league.
A Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2012, Nelson was widely regarded as one of the most innovative coaches in NBA history, despite never reaching the NBA Finals as a coach.
The Golden State Warriors mourned his passing, describing “Nellie” as an influential figure whose personality, passion and ideas left a lasting impact on the franchise.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr also paid tribute, calling Nelson a visionary who challenged traditional basketball thinking and helped shape many of the strategies now common in today’s NBA.
The Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks also honoured Nelson’s legacy, highlighting his achievements as a player, coach and mentor who made an unforgettable impact on basketball.
AFP
