By admin Don Nelson, a famed former coach of the Golden State Warriors, died Sunday at age 86, the team announced.
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“He was a true basketball visionary who saw the game differently and was never afraid to challenge conventional thinking,” the team said on X.
Nelson won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics before becoming a Hall of Fame coach and three-time NBA Coach of the Year winner.
He served as head coach of the Golden State Warriors twice across a total 11 seasons, the team said. He also coached the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks over his 31-year coaching career.
Nelson amassed 1,335 victories in his coaching career, second only to Greg Popovich’s 1,412 wins.
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“More than anything, Don Nelson will be remembered for his authenticity, larger-than-life personality, and incredible passion for basketball, and his influence on the Warriors franchise will endure for years to come,” the team said on X.
Steve Kerr, current Warriors coach, said “so much of what is now commonplace in the modern NBA can be traced back to the way Nellie approached the game. His impact on the Warriors is just as significant.”
“One of the big reasons I was drafted by the Warriors was because of Don Nelson. The story is he never liked rookies, but from Day 1 he challenged me and gave me an opportunity to be my best self on the court,” Stephen Curry said.
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This story was originally published August 9, 2026 at 2:55 PM.