Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson points and calls out an instruction to his team from the sideline.

Don Nelson points down the floor and shouts an instruction during the second half at Oracle Arena. The win was Nelson's 1,332nd as an NBA head coach, three weeks before he passed Lenny Wilkens for the most in league history on April 7, 2010. (Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)

Don Nelson, Dallas Mavericks Legend And Second-Winningest Coach In NBA History, Dies At 86

James Baxley-CrossAugust 10, 2026

DSJ Quick Take: Former Mavericks Coach Don Nelson Dies At 86

Don Nelson, a three-time Coach of the Year and the second-winningest coach in NBA history, passed away at 86.

What is Nelson’s legacy? Nelson played 14 years in the NBA, winning five championships with the Boston Celtics before beginning his innovative coaching career, which saw him win 1,335 games over 31 seasons.
What did he do in Dallas? Nelson won 339 games with the Mavericks, which trails only Rick Carlisle for the most in franchise history.
What was his role in Dirk Nowitzki’s career? As coach and general manager, Nelson swung deals to acquire the draft rights to Nowitzki and Steve Nash during the 1998 NBA Draft and empowered Nowitzki through his offensive system.
What about Donnie? Nelson’s son, Donnie, was appointed as an assistant coach in 1998 and eventually became Dallas’ general manager, where he led the selections of Luka Dončić and Jalen Brunson in the 2018 NBA Draft.

DALLAS — Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history and Naismith Hall of Famer, passed away at 86 on Sunday.

“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. Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories,” a statement from the family read.

Don Nelson’s Playing & Coaching Career

Born on May 15, 1940, Nelson enjoyed a 14-year playing career that saw him win five titles with the Boston Celtics between 1966 and 1976. In Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Nelson hit one of the NBA’s iconic shots.

With under ninety seconds in the win-or-go-home game, Los Angeles reserve Keith Erickson knocked the ball away from John Havlicek. The loose ball found its way to Nelson at the free-throw line, where he put up a jumper that hit back rim, bounced towards the top of the backboard, then dropped in to extend Boston’s lead to 105-102 and put away the game.

He started coaching in the 1976-77 season and continued through 2009-10, leading the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.

Across 31 seasons as an NBA head coach, Nelson accrued 1,335 victories with a 55.7% winning percentage. Honored with the 2025 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, Nelson was a three-time Coach of the Year, securing honors in 1982-83, 1984-85 and 1991-92.

Don Nelson And The Dallas Mavericks

Nelson, affectionately nicknamed “Nellie”, tallied 339 wins with Dallas during his 1997-2005 stint with the team, trailing only Rick Carlisle in total wins for the franchise. In the 2002-03 season, Nelson led the Mavericks to a 60-22 record, which is tied for the second-most wins in a season in franchise history.

That record also ties a career-best for Nelson, who managed a 60-22 campaign with Milwaukee in 1980-81.

He left his biggest legacy in Dallas in the 1998 NBA Draft. Also serving as the team’s general manager, Nelson helped negotiate a deal to land franchise cornerstone Dirk Nowitzki in the draft and shortly thereafter traded for Steve Nash. Nash and Nowitzki, of course, led the charge for the Mavericks of the early 2000s.

In 2011, Nowitzki led Dallas to its sole NBA championship.

“Nellie… You didn’t just draft me. You believed in me. You saw things in my game before I ever realized I could do them. I’ve said it a million times and I will always say it: I don’t think my career could have turned out how it did without you being my first coach and giving me the freedom to play my game,” Nowitzki wrote on X. “I can only say THANK YOU. For everything. RIP Legend.”

Nelson’s legacy with the Mavericks extends beyond even Nowitzki, if you can believe it.

He brought his son, Donnie, in as an assistant coach with Dallas in 1998. Donnie slowly rose through the ranks to become general manager of the team, where he was eventually behind the selections of future All-Stars Luka Dončić and Jalen Brunson.

Dončić, who was an All-NBA first-teamer five times with the Mavericks, also shared a tribute on social media.

“It’s a sad day for basketball with the passing of Don Nelson,” Dončić posted on X. “I have so much respect for him and everything he did for the game, especially the way he believed in international players. I’m grateful for the time I spent with him. Thinking of the entire Nelson family today. I loved getting to know you, Coach.”

Nelson was an innovative force as a coach and his impact on the game of basketball, the NBA and the Dallas Mavericks will not soon be forgotten.

The Nelson Family has announced that a Celebration of Life in tribute to Don Nelson will be held on Thursday, August 13, at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas.