Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history and a five-time champion as a player, died on Sunday at age 86. The Dallas Mavericks, who confirmed his passing, said Nelson died surrounded by family.
Nelson won five championships with the Boston Celtics before building a 31-season coaching career that included 1,335 regular-season wins at the time of his retirement, three coach of the year awards and 18 playoff appearances. He guided the Milwaukee Bucks to seven consecutive division titles over an 11-season stint beginning in 1976, and later coached the Dallas Mavericks from 1997 to 2005, serving as Dirk Nowitzki's first NBA coach.
In one of the league's most memorable upsets, Nelson's Golden State Warriors eliminated the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs.