Don Nelson, NBA legend with 5 rings and second-most coaching wins, dies at 86

Don Nelson, a towering figure in basketball history known for his five NBA championships as a player and his record-breaking coaching career, has died at the age of 86, his family announced.

Nelson was an integral part of the dominant Boston Celtics teams of the 1960s and 70s, winning five NBA titles between 1966 and 1976. The Celtics honored his contributions by retiring his No. 19 jersey.

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Nellie was one of the most innovative and influential coaches in NBA history and an iconic figure in Warriors history.

Transitioning to coaching, Nelson became one of the league's most successful strategists. He accumulated 1,335 victories across stints with the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks between 1976 and 2010. His win total stood as an NBA record until Gregg Popovich surpassed it in 2022. Nelson was recognized for his impact on the game with an induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Though he never reached the NBA Finals as a head coach, Nelson's innovative approach left a lasting legacy. Golden State issued a statement calling him "one of the most innovative and influential coaches in NBA history and an iconic figure in Warriors history." Current Warriors coach Steve Kerr lauded Nelson as a "visionary" who "constantly challenged conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and styles of play, and saw possibilities in the game that others often did not."

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Don Nelson challenged constantly the conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and styles of play, and saw possibilities in the game that others often did not.