Home/Articles/NBA
NBA·August 9, 2026 05:32 PM ET

Don Nelson, Hall of Fame coach, dies at 86

His 1,335 coaching wins rank second in NBA history.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 91 min read
Post on X
NBA

What happened: His family announced his death Sunday in a statement.

Why it matters: Nelson's career spanned playing, coaching and front-office roles. His fast-paced, small-ball approach influenced generations of NBA teams.

By the numbers: Nelson won three Coach of the Year awards, earned five championships as a player and entered the Hall of Fame in 2012.

What to watch: A celebration of life is scheduled for Aug. 13 in Dallas.

Sources

More NBA news

CONVERSATION
Loading comments…
NBABreaking
Follow NBA Intelligence
Real-time signals and analysis
@WireReportNBA
WR Pro
The day's sports, briefed to your inbox at 7am ET. Every claim sourced.
$9/monthFree weekly newsletter →
RELATED STORIES
← Back to Wire Report