Basketball Hall of Famer Don Nelson, who won five NBA championships as a player before becoming one of the most influential coaches in league history, has died at 86.
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Nelson's family announced his death Sunday, saying he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones.
"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," the family said in a statement.
Nelson spent nearly five decades in the NBA as a player and coach, leaving his mark on the league in both roles.
After beginning his playing career with the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962 and spending one season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Nelson joined the Boston Celtics in 1965.
He remained with Boston for the rest of his playing career, winning five championships before retiring in 1976. The Celtics later retired his No. 19 jersey.
Nelson immediately moved into coaching and eventually became head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.
He won NBA Coach of the Year three times and retired in 2010 with 1,335 regular-season victories, which stood as the league record at the time.
Nelson became particularly known for his willingness to experiment with lineups and offensive styles, helping popularize smaller, faster combinations long before they became commonplace across the NBA.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver remembered Nelson as one of the sport's great innovators.
"Don Nelson revolutionized NBA basketball through his fearlessness, ingenuity and deep conviction," Silver said. "He brought an unmistakable personality to everything he did, and his impact on our sport will continue to be felt for generations."
Nelson was named one of the NBA's 10 greatest coaches during the league's 50th anniversary celebration in 1996 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
He received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.
