Basketball Hall of Famer and five-time NBA champion Don Nelson has died at the age of 86, according to Bleacherreport. Nelson passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, surrounded by his loving family, as announced in a family statement shared via nypost.com. Friends and family had encircled him throughout his final week, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories. According to hoopsrumors.com, Nelson suffered a stroke three weeks prior to his death and had recently been in hospice care. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Don Nelson Dies at 86
Playing Career and Championships With Boston
Before building a legendary coaching career, Nelson established himself as a prominent player. Standing 6-foot-6, the forward played out of Iowa and was selected 19th overall by the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962, as reported by USA Today. He joined the Los Angeles Lakers a year later before being cut loose after two seasons. In 1965, he signed with the Boston Celtics, where he spent 11 years of his 14-season career.
With Boston, Nelson won the first of his five NBA titles during his initial year with the franchise. He went on to win championships in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, and 1976. Over 1,043 regular-season appearances, he averaged 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per contest. He retired in 1976 after playing 465 consecutive games, and the Celtics later retired his No. 19 jersey.
Coaching Legacy and Innovations
Following his retirement as a player, Nelson immediately transitioned to the sideline, joining the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach 18 games into the 1976 season. Over 31 coaching seasons, he managed the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks, compiling a regular-season career record of 1,335-1,063.
Nelson was named NBA Coach of the Year three times—in 1983, 1985, and 1992. When he retired in 2010, he owned the NBA record for most regular-season victories by a head coach, a mark he held until Gregg Popovich surpassed him in 2022. He remains second on the all-time wins list.
Honors and Off-Court Achievements
Nelson received numerous accolades throughout his basketball life. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. The NBA named him one of its top 10 coaches of all time during its 50th-anniversary celebration in 1996—as the only member of that list who never won a championship as a coach—and placed him on its top-15 coaching list in 2021.
Beyond the NBA, Nelson coached Dream Team II to a gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship. He was also the 2025 recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association.