Overview
- Don Nelson, who died on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, was 86 and his family said he "peacefully went to be with the Lord" while surrounded by family.
- The family did not give a cause of death, though local reporting said Nelson suffered a stroke weeks earlier and had been in hospice care.
- As a player he won five NBA titles with the Boston Celtics, had his No. 19 retired and was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2012.
- Nelson coached 31 NBA seasons with the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks and Mavericks, compiling a 1,335-1,063 record that ranks second all time and earning three Coach of the Year awards.
- Teams, players and the NBA paid tribute to his influence as the architect of 'Nellie Ball' — a small‑lineup, spacing and point‑forward approach that helped shape the modern NBA — and the family plans a Celebration of Life in Dallas on Aug. 13 with a later Maui ceremony for ashes.