Don Nelson
American · 86 years old · Died 9 August 2026
Second-winningest coach in NBA history — Warriors, Mavericks, Bucks
Don Nelson was the second-winningest coach in NBA history with 1,335 career wins, trailing only Gregg Popovich. He won five NBA championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, then built a coaching career spanning 31 seasons with the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks, Mavericks, and Warriors again. He is credited with popularising "Nellie Ball" — a small-ball offensive style that presaged the modern pace-and-space revolution in basketball. He died at 86 at his home in Maui, Hawaii.
Since Don Nelson died
Live count since 9 August 2026
Total deaths worldwide since then
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