Basketball Hall of Famer Don Nelson dies at age 86
World · 10 August 2026
Written by AI from multiple news reports
Don Nelson, one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, died on Sunday aged 86. He was with his family when he passed away.
Nelson first became famous as a player. He won five NBA championships with the Boston Celtics across 11 seasons. He later said that playing under coach Red Auerbach shaped how he thought about basketball.
As a coach, Nelson worked with three teams over 31 seasons and became the second-most successful coach in NBA history by wins. He won the Coach of the Year award three times. In 1994, he led the US national team to a gold medal at the World Championships.