Don Nelson, 5-time NBA champion and pioneer of ‘Nellie Ball’ as coach, dies at 86
Don Nelson finished with a 1,335-1,063 career record as a head coach after winning five titles with the Boston Celtics as a player. Kelley L Cox / USA Today https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6273242/2026/08/09/don-nelson-obituary-coach-hall-of-fame-celtics-nba/ THE ATHLETIC By James Jackson , Sam Amick and Christian Clark Aug. 9, 2026 Updated Aug. 10, 2026 Don Nelson, a five-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics as a player and one of the winningest coaches in league history, died Sunday at 86, his family announced in a statement. “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,” the statement read. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.” A cause of death was not shared, but The Dallas Morning News reported that Nelson had a stroke roughly three weeks ago. The p...