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NBA mourns legendary Don Nelson
🇬🇷 Greece /Sports

NBA mourns legendary Don Nelson

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • NBA Hall of Famer Don Nelson, a five-time champion as a player with the Boston Celtics and a three-time Coach of the Year, has died at age 86.
  • Nelson's family announced his peaceful passing in Hawaii, surrounded by loved ones.
  • His extensive career included coaching the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks, amassing 1,335 wins and leaving a significant legacy on the sport.

The NBA is mourning the loss of Don Nelson, one of its most significant figures, who passed away at the age of 86. His family confirmed the news, stating he died peacefully in Hawaii surrounded by his loved ones.

Nelson's impact on American basketball is immense. As a player for the Boston Celtics, he secured five NBA championships in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, and 1976. The Celtics honored his contributions by retiring his jersey number 19.

Following his playing career, Nelson transitioned to coaching, leaving his mark with the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks. For many years, he held the record for the most coaching wins in NBA history with 1,335 victories, a record later surpassed by Gregg Popovich in 2022. Nelson was also named Coach of the Year three times, underscoring his profound influence on the league.

Nelson was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012, cementing his place in basketball history. The NBA also recognized his overall contribution to the sport in 2025, marking one of the final major acknowledgments of a career that profoundly shaped the world's premier basketball league.

On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson… peacefully left this world and went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family.

— Don Nelson's familyThe family issued a statement announcing his death.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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