NBA Hall-of-Famer Don Nelson, who spent nearly a half-century in the league and once held the record for most wins as a head coach, has died, according to a statement from his family. Nelson was 86.

What they’re saying:

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“On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family,” the family wrote in a statement to NBA analyst Marc Stein. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”

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Timeline:

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Nelson, who played for the University of Iowa in college, was drafted in 1962 by the Chicago Zephyrs and played a single season for the now-defunct team before going to the Los Angeles Lakers for two seasons. In 1965, Nelson signed on with the Boston Celtics and went on to win five NBA championships in his 11 seasons with the team.

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Hall of Fame head coach

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He retired as a player after the 1975-76 season and signed on as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks the next season, beginning a coaching career that would lead to his winning Coach of the Year three times and being inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. 

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Following his time in Milwaukee, Nelson went to the Golden State Warriors for his first stint with the team. He also coached for the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks before returning to Golden State to close out his 32-year coaching career. 

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When he retired after the 2009-10 season, Nelson had the most wins of any head coach in NBA history, a record that has since been surpassed by longtime Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. 

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