Overview
- Nelson’s family announced that he peacefully died surrounded by loved ones, with the statement published Sunday and no official cause disclosed.
- Several outlets reported that Nelson suffered a stroke weeks earlier and had entered hospice care before his death, according to family accounts.
- Over 31 seasons as a head coach he compiled a 1,335-1,063 regular-season record, which leaves him second on the NBA’s all-time wins list.
- He won five NBA championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, had his No. 19 retired, was a three-time NBA Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
- Teams and players have issued tributes to Nelson’s influence, and his adoption of smaller lineups, heavy spacing and the point-forward concept is widely seen as a direct antecedent of today’s perimeter-oriented game.