Don Nelson. Image via: Sam Forencich/ NBAE via Getty Images
Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history, died Sunday at age 86, his family announced. Luka Doncic learned of the news while speaking to reporters and immediately offered condolences to the family of the Hall of Fame coach who once wore Doncic’s sneakers in protest of his trade out of Dallas. I loved getting to know you, Coach.”
“Thinking of the entire Nelson family today.
Stephen Curry, who Golden State drafted in 2009 during Nelson’s second stint as coach, credited Nelson directly for his opportunity. He won three Coach of the Year awards, seven consecutive division titles with Milwaukee from 1980-86, and built the Warriors and Mavericks into playoff contenders during his respective tenures. 2 ranking on the all-time wins list sits behind only Gregg Popovich. Detail Info Name Don Nelson Age at death 86 Died Sunday Cause of death Not disclosed Regular-season coaching wins 1,335 (2nd all-time) Teams coached Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks Mavericks tenure 1997-2005 Hall of Fame induction 2012 NBA Coach of the Year awards 3 Championships won (as player, Boston Celtics) 5
“He had an immeasurable impact on the sport,” Curry said, recalling that Nelson challenged him from his first day despite a reputation for being skeptical of rookies. “So much of what is now commonplace in the modern NBA can be traced back to the way Nellie approached the game,” Kerr said. Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who also played briefly under Nelson, praised his lasting influence on the modern game. Nelson’s coaching résumé remains one of the most decorated in league history. His No.