Don Nelson

Donald Arvid Nelson, born May 15, 1940, is an American former professional basketball player and head coach. After an All-American career at the University of Iowa, Nelson played for the Boston Celtics, winning five NBA championships. The franchise retired his number 19 in 1978.

As a head coach, Nelson led the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors. On April 7, 2010, with his 1,333rd career win, he passed Lenny Wilkens for first place on the all-time NBA wins list. His career coaching record stands at 1,335–1,063, a .557 winning percentage. Those 1,335 regular season wins place him second all-time among NBA coaches; he held the record for most wins for almost twelve years before Gregg Popovich surpassed him in 2022.

A coaching innovator, Nelson developed a style of play frequently referred to as "Nellie Ball." He is credited with pioneering the concept of the point forward, a tactic now employed by teams at every level. He was named one of the Top 10 coaches in NBA history.

Nelson was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.