OKLAHOMA CITY – Don Nelson has been invited to the NBA Finals countless times in recent years, always declining those opportunities.
This time, his peers found a way to ensure he couldn’t say no.
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Nelson — a Basketball Hall of Famer and three-time NBA coach of the year — was announced Sunday as this year’s recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. It will be formally given out Sunday night, about an hour before Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
“History has already reflected Don Nelson’s staggering contributions as a cutting-edge innovator and visionary of the NBA game,” said Pacers coach and NBCA President Rick Carlisle. “Back in the ’80s and ’90s, he made teams adjust to historic pace, liberal 3-point shooting, inverted offense, and disruptive defensive schemes. All this while establishing himself as one of the most compelling personalities in all of professional sports.”
Nelson, 85, retired in 2010 as the NBA’s career coaching wins leader with 1,335, just ahead of Lenny Wilkens’ 1,332. Nelson kept that top spot for nearly 12 years before now-retired San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich passed him in March 2022.
Popovich is part of the committee that selects the Daly award winners.
“One of my best friends in my life," Nelson said of Popovich. "So, I’m really, really proud to be here and to share this award. I made the Hall of Fame in 2012 and this is certainly as important to me as that award was.”
Nelson is one of only two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three franchises. He got to that mark with Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State, and also coached New York briefly in his career.
Nelson and Daly were close friends. They went head-to-head 41 times as coaches: Nelson’s teams went 21-20 in those games.
“Chuck was an absolute genius in all facets of the game and life,” Nelson said. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to coach against him, learn from him, and benefit from his knowledge. To say that I’m deeply touched to receive an award that bears his name would be an understatement. This is special.”
Nelson took teams to the playoffs 18 times as a coach and won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics. He started coaching in 1976 and what became known as “Nellie Ball” soon created a buzz with him being generally credited for introducing what is now known as the point forward.
His up-tempo offensive ways were probably best on display with Golden State in the “Run TMC” era featuring Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. But his defensive schemes — including cross-matching and even writing the rules on illegal defense at the league's request, he said — should be remembered as well, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
“I do appreciate the fact that he seemed boundless in terms of what he was willing to do, and he wasn’t really relying on what was conventional,” Daigneault said. “So, I have unbelievable respect for him.”
The award is in Daly’s memory and celebrates his “integrity, competitive excellence, and tireless promotion of NBA basketball.”
Prior recipients are Rudy Tomjanovich (2024), Rick Adelman (2023), Mike Fratello (2022), Larry Brown (2021), Del Harris (2020), Frank Layden (2019), Doug Moe (2018), Al Attles and Hubie Brown (2017), K.C. Jones and Jerry Sloan (2016), Dick Motta (2015), Bernie Bickerstaff (2014), Bill Fitch (2013), Pat Riley (2012), Lenny Wilkens (2011), Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter (2010) and Tommy Heinsohn (2009).
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