Per longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, former New York Knicks head coach Don Nelson has passed away at the age of 86. Nelson served at the helm of the Knicks for part of a single season, amassing a 34-25 record.

“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,” a statement from Nelson’s family said. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.

“The entire Knicks organization is saddened to hear of the passing of Basketball Hall of Famer and former Knicks head coach, Don Nelson,” the Knicks said in their own Sunday statement. “Our deepest condolences go to his family and friends.”

Nelson came to the Knicks in 1995, the third of four head coaching stops after nearly two decades between Milwaukee (1976-88) and Golden State (1988-95). He was the second choice to succeed the Miami-bound Pat Riley after Chuck Daly turned the role down and brought his trademark brand of “Nellie Ball” to Manhattan.

While the Knicks jumped out to a sterling start at 19-7, Nelson’s fast-paced approach clashed with the team’s physical and domineering identity. Nelson later revealed that he attempted to convince management to trade franchise face Patrick Ewing for then-burgeoning Orlando Magic star Shaquille O’Neal.

A squalid stretch just before the All-Star break led to his eventual in-season departure. Assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy took over for Nelson, who eventually took over the Dallas Mavericks (1997-2005) before ending his coaching career with the aforementioned Golden State Warriors (2006-10).

Nonetheless, the 34 wins that Nelson earned at the helm contributed to what was the largest regular-season total in NBA history. He passed fellow former Knicks boss Lenny Wilkens during Wilkens’s final season in 2010 and held the record for 12 years until San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich took over. He remains the all-time leader in Bucks coaching wins and is one of 11 to earn at least 1,000 victories in their careers.

Nelson’s “Nellie Ball” strategy may have set the groundwork for the modern NBA playbook, one that values speed, finesse, small ball, and a heavy three-point output. Nellie Ball helped popularize the usage of a power forward and gave rise to the Bay Area’s “Run TMC” group, headlined by Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin.

While Nelson had left Golden State by the time the Warriors hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy again, his work is seen as a predecessor to the offenses run led by Stephen Curry, which produced four championships between 2015 and 2022.

He also played an active role in player development and acquisition, serving as general manager of the Bucks, Mavericks, and Warriors during his respective tenures, and has been credited as the driving force behind Golden State’s acquisition of Curry and Dallas’ acquisition of Dirk Nowitzki.

In addition to his work as a coach, Nelson also made a name for himself through a 14-year playing career. The All-American at Iowa and third-round pick in the 1962 draft spent all but three of those tours with the Boston Celtics and won five NBA championships.

During his penultimate playing season in 1975-76, Nelson became the oldest player in NBA history to lead the league in field goal percentage (.539), a record that stands to this day. Nelson was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the No. 19 he wore in Boston has been retired by the Celtics.

Though Nelson never won a championship, his influence and success have long been acknowledged: he was included among the league votes for the 10 and 15 greatest coaches of all-time in 1996 and 2021, respectively, and he is one of three to win the Coach of the Year title on three occasions, next to Popovich and Riley.

Nelson also guided the 1994 United States men’s national basketball team, commonly known as “Dream Team II,” to a gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship in Canada.

Nelson is survived by his wife, Joy, and seven children, including Donnie, who served as the Mavericks’ general manager after he was an assistant on his father’s first Dallas staff. Donnie guided the Mavericks to a championship in 2011.