Legacy of Don Nelson: Influential NBA Coach and Player

Don Nelson, a pivotal figure in NBA history, passed away on Sunday at the age of 86. Known for his influential career, Nelson was the second-winningest coach in the league and secured five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics.

The Golden State Warriors, a team Nelson coached, announced his passing. Nelson is among the only two coaches in NBA history to record at least 250 wins with three different franchises: Milwaukee, Dallas, and Golden State. Not only did he manage to achieve this, but he also served as general manager for all three teams.

Over a career spanning 31 seasons, Nelson was named coach of the year three times and led his teams to the playoffs 18 times. Although he reached the conference finals three times with the Bucks and once with the Mavericks, he never captured a title as a coach.

Nelson introduced the concept of the point forward, shifting from the dominance of big men in basketball during the 1970s to a focus on speed and fast breaks. This philosophy stemmed from his playing experience under the renowned Celtics coach Red Auerbach.

“Don played for the Boston Celtics during an era of dominance, joining the team for 11 of his 14 seasons. He was part of five Celtics championship teams coached by four different leaders.”

After retiring as a player, Nelson transitioned into coaching, starting as an assistant in Milwaukee. He took over the head coaching role after Larry Costello’s resignation early in the 1976-77 season. Nelson’s tenure with the Bucks spanned 11 seasons and included seven consecutive division titles.

His fast-paced offenses found a showcase during his time at Golden State, especially in the “Run TMC” era featuring stars Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin. Nelson emphasized having all three future Hall of Famers on the court simultaneously.

Nelson’s career with Golden State included a tumultuous period characterized by a conflict with rookie star Chris Webber. After Webber’s trade, Nelson resigned under pressure just a few months into 1995.

In between his stints with Golden State, Nelson briefly coached the New York Knicks in 1995-96 before moving to Dallas. During eight seasons with the Mavericks, Nelson took a medical break in December 2000 to recover from prostate cancer surgery.

Under the Mavericks, Nelson and his son Donnie, who joined the team as an assistant and eventually became general manager, helped transition Dirk Nowitzki from European basketball to the NBA. They also developed Steve Nash into a premier point guard, who later won consecutive MVP awards with Phoenix.

Notably, in 2007, Nelson’s Golden State Warriors, branded as the “We Believe” team, pulled off a significant playoff upset against the top-seeded Mavericks led by Nowitzki. Nelson’s career culminated with mentoring rookie Stephen Curry in the 2009-10 season.

Nelson retired holding the top position in NBA coaching wins with 1,335 victories. He held the record for almost 12 years until his friend, Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, surpassed him in March 2022.