NBA Hall of Famer Passes Away

Basketball lost one of its most creative minds when Hall of Famer Don Nelson died Sunday at age 86.

His family announced that the five-time champion player and longtime coach “peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family.”

Nelson won NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974 and 1976 as a reliable role player averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds.

His greater impact came on the sidelines.

He coached the Milwaukee Bucks to 540 wins and two Coach of the Year awards, then guided the high-octane “Run TMC” Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks.

Nelson finished with 1,335 regular-season victories, the most in NBA history at the time of his retirement.

He pioneered “Nellie Ball,” a free-flowing, pace-and-space style that used point forwards and small-ball lineups years before they became league norms.

The Golden State Warriors called him “a true basketball visionary who saw the game differently and was never afraid to challenge conventional thinking.”

He helped develop stars such as Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash and coached Stephen Curry’s rookie season.

Even without a championship as head coach, Nelson’s ideas continue to shape how the modern NBA is played.