Don Nelson: key obituary facts
Is Don Nelson dead? Yes. Don Nelson died on August 9, 2026, at age 86.
Cause of death: Don Nelson's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Don Nelson known for?
He was an American former NBA player and head coach.
More about Don Nelson
Born: 15 May 1940.
Place of birth: Muskegon.
Gender: male.
Occupation: basketball player, basketball coach.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Rock Island High School, University of Iowa.
Awards: NBA Coach of the Year Award.
Children: Donnie Nelson.
Career began: 1962.
Career ended: 1976.
Also known as: Donald Arvid Nelson.
Don Nelson, the American basketball player and coach who won five NBA championships with the Boston Celtics before becoming one of the league’s most influential head coaches, died on August 9, 2026, aged 86.
Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Nelson played at the University of Iowa after attending Rock Island High School and later spent his NBA playing career with Boston, where his number 19 was retired in 1978. He went on to coach the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors, and was widely associated with an inventive style of play known as “Nellie Ball.” Nelson, also known as Donald Arvid Nelson, was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 and was named NBA Coach of the Year during a coaching career that made him one of the league’s winningest figures.