Don Nelson Cause of Death: NBA Legend Passes Away At 86
- Edited by: Sagar Kar
- Updated Aug 10, 2026, 01:46 IST
Don Nelson, a five time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics who later became the league’s second winningest coach, has died at 86.
Don Nelson.
Don Nelson, who spent years as a key bench player on five Boston Celtics championship squads before going on to become the second winningest coach in NBA history, has died at the age of 86, according to a report from Heavy. His family shared that he passed away peacefully with loved ones by his side, though no official cause of death has been made public.
While the family has not confirmed an exact cause of death, the Dallas Morning News reported that Nelson had suffered a stroke in the weeks leading up to his passing and had since entered hospice care. His death brings an end to a career in basketball that spanned close to 50 years.
Tributes Pour In From the Basketball World
News of Nelson’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes across the sport. Longtime Celtics radio broadcaster Sean Grande wrote on social media that Nelson was an absolute giant whose basketball life touched nearly every player and coach who has shaped the league across generations, signing off with “RIP, Nellie.”
From Farm Boy to Celtics Legend
Nelson’s basketball story began on a farm outside Sherrard, Illinois, where he practiced shooting at a spokeless bicycle wheel nailed to a shed in the chicken yard. He went on to star at the University of Iowa before being selected 17th overall by the Chicago Zephyrs in the 1962 NBA Draft. After two unremarkable seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, he was waived in 1965.
That’s when legendary Celtics executive Red Auerbach picked him up for a mere $1,000 waiver fee, a move that would pay off tremendously. Auerbach later remarked, as reported by the Boston Globe, that anyone could have claimed Nelson off waivers, but he was the only one who did.
Eleven Seasons and Five Championships in Boston
Nelson went on to spend 11 seasons with the Celtics, largely coming off the bench, and put up averages of 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds over 872 games while rarely missing time, sitting out just 27 games in his entire Boston tenure. What he lacked in size and speed, he made up for with a self taught, one handed free throw shot and an instinctive understanding of the game that kept him relevant long after more athletic teammates faded.
During his time in Boston, Nelson helped the Celtics capture titles in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974 and 1976. His number 19 now hangs from the rafters at TD Garden, just as it once did at the old Boston Garden.
A Shot That Defined His Career
Nelson’s most memorable moment on the court came during Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals in Los Angeles. His awkward looking jump shot bounced high off the back of the rim before dropping in, giving Boston a one point lead they never relinquished.
He also played a role in double teaming Kareem Abdul Jabbar during the 1974 Finals against Milwaukee. The following season, at age 34, Nelson led the entire NBA in field goal percentage, making him the oldest and shortest player ever to hold that distinction.
Reflecting on his famous Game 7 shot years later, Nelson admitted it was the luckiest shot in basketball history, but as he put it, it still counted.
Latest News
Sagar is a journalist with an interest primarily in geopolitics and American domestic politics. Before joining Times Now, he wrote for Republic and Sw… View More
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/world
