# Don Nelson, Hall of Fame coach and five-time NBA champion, dies at 86

Don Nelson, a legendary figure in basketball who won five NBA titles as a player with the Boston Celtics and later became a pioneering coach, has died at age 86. Nelson coached the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, and Dallas Mavericks, earning three Coach of the Year awards. His innovative coaching style, including the "small ball" approach, reshaped modern NBA offensive play.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### Sports
- [The Guardian Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/aug/09/don-nelson-legendary-coach-and-five-time-nba-champion-as-player-dies-at-86) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 19:01:36 GMT

### World
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/8/10/don-nelson-hall-of-fame-basketball-coach-and-nba-player-dies-at-86?traffic_source=rss) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:47:11 +0000