Don Nelson Dies at 86, Hall of Famer Won 5 NBA Titles as Celtics Player, 3 Coach of the Year Awards

Basketball Hall of Famer Don Nelson died at the age of 86, his family announced on Sunday.

Nelson was a three-time NBA champion as a player with the Boston Celtics before transitioning to coaching and becoming a three-time NBA Coach of the Year.

"On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family," his family said in a statement. "Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories."

Nelson began his playing career with the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962 before joining the Los Angeles Lakers a year later. He signed with the Celtics in 1965, and he won the first of his five NBA titles in his first year with the franchise. He spent the remainder of his career in Boston before retiring in 1976, and the team later retired his No. 19 jersey.

The same year he ended his playing career, Nelson joined the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach 18 games into the season. He remained with the Bucks until 1988, winning Coach of the Year awards in 1983 and 1985. He then coached the Golden State Warriors and won his third COY award in 1992. He also coached the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks before returning to the Warriors and ending his coaching career in 2010. At the time of his retirement, he owned the NBA record with 1,335 regular-season victories.

As part of the 1996 ceremony honoring the NBA's 50th anniversary, Nelson was named one of the top 10 coaches of all time. He was the only member of the list who never won an NBA title in his coaching career.

Nelson was the 2025 recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors a longtime NBA coach's life in basketball.