NBA champion player and historic coach Nelson dead at 86 / Photo: JED JACOBSOHN - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
-
Vollering wins Tour de France Femmes after war of nerves
-
BMW iX3 Flow Edition brings animated bodywork closer to reality
-
BMW’s next chapter accelerates with New Class rollout
-
Arteta backs Guimaraes to 'ignite something different' at Arsenal
-
Five dead in new Russia, Ukraine strikes
-
Como sign England defender Chalobah from Chelsea
-
PSG sign France full-back Digne from Villa
-
Demi Vollering wins Tour de France Femmes
-
Sinner withdraws from Cincinnati Open with knee injury
-
Iraola's first Anfield match as Liverpool manager ends in Monaco defeat
-
Fernandez's 'perfect' race earns him British MotoGP Grand Prix win
-
Bodies hanging from bridge revive violence in once-calm town in Mexico
-
Iran Guards say won't reopen Hormuz without US meeting Tehran's demands
-
Lionel Messi bids farewell to father who guided his glittering career
-
Hogh's hat-trick inspires Celtic to 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock
-
Raul Fernandez wins British MotoGP Grand Prix
-
London grants first licences for supervised Uber robotaxis
-
Tesla FSD secrecy puts Europe’s safety oversight under scrutiny
-
Erasmus hopeful Kolisi hamstring injury not 'too bad'
-
Mercedes-AMG GT 53 balances speed, range and daily usability
-
Luxury car buyers trade prestige for mainstream value
-
Lion queen Werro focused on Euro medal, not 800m world record
-
Students, teachers mourn girl killed in Thailand school shooting
-
Changan uses FILDA 2026 to accelerate its African expansion
-
Jacobson to lead New Zealand for first time against Sharks
-
Honda plots a profitable European comeback without a price war
-
Typhoon Dolphin makes landfall in China after flight cancellations, evacuations
-
Iran Guards say won't reopen Hormuz without US meeting all Tehran's conditions
-
South Korea FA apologises after sex scandal adds to controversies
-
Messi absent after father's death as Miami lose in Leagues Cup
-
Indonesia closes national park as wildfire spreads
-
Flight cancellations, evacuations in China as Typhoon Dolphin looms
-
ZXMoto leads China's charge to dominate the global motorbike market
-
Iran issues demands for reopening of Hormuz
-
Top-ranked Sabalenka, Pegula stunned in Toronto fourth round
-
Afghanistan's gold rush upends lives and landscapes
-
Japan nuclear debate unnerves proponents of pacifism
-
Messi missing after father's death as Miami lose in Leagues Cup
-
Spanish teen Jodar ousts eighth seed Lehecka at Montreal
-
World number one Sabalenka ousted in Toronto by Alexandrova
-
Angers mounts in US over vast network of car license plate cams
-
Olympic weightlifter hoists debris for Venezuela earthquake recovery
-
Darderi to face Nakashima in Montreal quarter-finals
-
FIFA condemns 'concerted and ongoing effort' to weaken Infantino
-
Espresso power fires Darderi past Borges in Montreal
-
South Africa win after surviving late Argentina surge
-
Shnaider upsets Pegula to book Toronto quarter-final with Swiatek
-
Man Utd boss Carrick being 'careful' with Mount as Man Utd draw with PSG
-
Mount injury overshadows Man Utd draw with Paris Saint-Germain
-
All Black Tuipulotu surprised after Sharks include Nonu
NBA champion player and historic coach Nelson dead at 86
Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history and a five-time champion as a player with the Boston Celtics, died on Sunday, his family announced. He was 86.
Nelson was a member of five NBA championship teams with Boston from 1966 to 1976 and the Celtics retired his jersey number 19.
As a coach, Nelson finished with a record of 1,335-1,063 -- what had been an NBA record until Gregg Popovich passed him in 2022 -- in stints with Golden State, Milwaukee, New York and Dallas from 1976 to 2010.
Nelson, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012, never reached the NBA Finals as a coach but was remembered as a historic figure among bench bosses.
"The Golden State Warriors mourn the passing of Hall of Fame head coach Don Nelson," the team said in a statement.
"'Nellie' was one of the most innovative and influential coaches in NBA history and an iconic figure in Warriors history. He was a true basketball visionary who saw the game differently and was never afraid to challenge conventional thinking. His approach helped shape the game and paved the way for generations of players and coaches who followed.
"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."
Steve Kerr, the current Warriors coach, recalled Nelson as a visionary whose influence remains with the modern era of the league.
"Don Nelson was a true innovator whose influence on the game of basketball is still felt today," Kerr said. "He consistently challenged conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and styles of play, and saw possibilities in the game that others often did not.
"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. He helped shape some of the most memorable teams and moments in franchise history and built a lasting connection with generations of Warriors fans. His legacy will always remain an important part of this organization."
F.Santana--PC
