DALLAS — Don Nelson, the Hall of Fame coach and former Dallas Mavericks general manager who helped transform the franchise into a playoff contender, died Sunday, according to a statement made by his family. He was 86.
Nelson’s family announced his death, saying he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Nelson joined the Mavericks as general manager in 1997 and became head coach later that year.
He helped build the Dallas roster around Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Michael Finley, guiding the team to four consecutive 50-win seasons and an appearance in the 2003 Western Conference finals.
He coached the Mavericks from 1997 to 2005, compiling a 339-251 record.
Nelson finished his 31-season coaching career with 1,335 regular-season victories, ranking second in NBA history behind Gregg Popovich.
He won three NBA Coach of the Year awards and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Before becoming a coach, Nelson played 14 NBA seasons and won five championships with the Boston Celtics.
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