Nelson’s family announced Sunday that he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors, winning NBA Coach of the Year three times. Nelson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025. “Don Nelson revolutionized NBA basketball through his fearlessness, ingenuity and deep conviction,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. For a man who spent nearly 50 years in professional basketball, Nelson’s legacy was never simply about victories.