• Don Nelson, former NBA player and coach, passed away at age 86.
• The Hall of Famer was the second-winningest coach in NBA history with 1,335 wins.
• He won five NBA championships as a player with the Boston Celtics.
• NBA Commissioner described him as a "true basketball visionary."
• Stephen Curry and Dirk Nowitzki are among players influenced by his coaching.

Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history and a five-time champion with the Boston Celtics, passed away at 86, with his family announcing his death on Sunday. Nelson was celebrated not only for his playing career where he won five championships, but also for his coaching innovations that shaped modern basketball, including the introduction of "Nellie Ball," a fast-paced offensive style. His legacy includes being remembered as a coach who saw the game differently and never hesitated to challenge conventional thinking, according to LATimes, Reuters, and CBS News.

Nelson accumulated a coaching record of 1,335 wins against 1,063 losses over an impressive 31-year career, which included tenures with the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks. He achieved an unprecedented three Coach of the Year awards and led the Warriors to a notable playoff upset against the top-seeded Mavericks in 2007, according to Al Jazeera, Le Monde, and Reuters.

As a player, Nelson enjoyed a successful 14-year career, primarily with the Boston Celtics, where he was part of championship teams under various coaches. His jersey number 19 was retired by the Celtics in 1978. After retiring as a player, he transitioned into coaching, becoming a general manager and coach for multiple teams, which allowed him to influence the game from various angles, as noted by CBS News and Le Monde.

His legacy as a coach goes beyond titles; he is revered for mentoring future stars such as Stephen Curry and Dirk Nowitzki. Both players have expressed deep gratitude for Nelson's impact on their careers, underscoring his role as a transformative figure in their development, according to CBS News and Al Jazeera.