NBA legend Don Nelson, former Mavericks coach and GM, dies at 86

Don Nelson, the NBA’s second-winningest coach and a pivotal figure in the Dallas Mavericks’ history, died on Sunday in Frisco, Texas, his family confirmed. The 86-year-old had moved from Maui to Frisco earlier this year and suffered a stroke about three weeks before his death, spending his final days in hospice care surrounded by family and NBA acquaintances.

Nelson, who coached the Mavericks from 1997 to 2005 and served as their general manager, was honored on June 15 at a Sports Power Brokers event in Dallas, where he received the James Naismith Family Legacy Award. > "I feel great," Nelson said at the ceremony, adding that he felt "the luckiest guy in the room" and was enjoying his return to Texas.

Among his most lasting contributions were the 1998 draft selections of future Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. Nowitzki later tweeted gratitude, noting that Nelson’s belief and coaching freedom were crucial to his career.

Nelson’s coaching career spanned 32 seasons with 2,398 games, the second-most in league history, and 1,335 victories, also second-most. He earned NBA Coach of the Year honors three times and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. As a player, he won five NBA championships with the Boston Celtics.

Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont said Nelson "helped transform this franchise, bringing an innovative spirit, a belief in doing things differently and, most importantly, a winning culture to Dallas." NBA commissioner Adam Silver praised his "fearlessness, ingenuity and deep conviction" that reshaped the game.

Nelson’s legacy also includes his role in drafting Dirk Nowitzki as the ninth pick in 1998, a decision that owner Ross Perot Jr. later described as a rare act of conviction over popular opinion. The Mavericks later added Steve Nash and other notable players, laying the foundation for the franchise’s future success.