Nowitzki and Curry remember Don Nelson: “He believed in us”
The NBA mourns Don Nelson: five titles as a player and 1,335 wins as a coach. The man who changed the game and believed in Dirk Nowitzki and Stephen Curry
The passing of Don Nelson at the age of 86 leaves a huge void in the basketball world, but above all, a legacy we continue to see every night on NBA courts.
A five-time champion as a player with the Boston Celtics, “Nellie” was above all one of the boldest and most unconventional visionaries in league history.
When the NBA was still a kingdom of giants anchored around the basket, he invented “Nellie Ball”: small lineups, blazing pace, three-point shooting and the point forward. Essentially today’s basketball, conceived 30 years ahead of its time.
The mentor of Nowitzki and Curry
Although he coached four franchises (the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks and Mavericks) and became the second-winningest coach in NBA history with 1,335 victories, Nelson’s impact goes far beyond the numbers.
In Dallas, he changed the course of history by betting wholeheartedly on a skinny kid who had arrived from Germany. Dirk Nowitzki’s tribute tells us better than any statistic who Don Nelson really was:
You didn’t just draft me. You believed in me. You saw things in my game that even I didn’t know I was capable of doing. Without you as my first coach and without the freedom you gave me on the court, my career would not have been the same. I can only thank you for everything. Rest in peace, legend
Dirk Nowitzki
Years later, during his second stint with the Golden State Warriors (2006-10), Nelson was the first to hand the keys to the offense to a young Stephen Curry – who has been involved in speculation about a trade to the Celtics – seeing before anyone else the revolutionary potential of that rookie:
My first NBA coach. One of the greatest minds this sport has ever seen, capable of changing the way the game is played. Nellie Ball was something unique. In 2009, he gave me the opportunity to find myself. I’ll be forever grateful to him
Stephen Curry
Doncic and the NBA pay tribute
Even today, anyone who knows basketball recognizes Nelson’s influence on the modern game. Luka Doncic also paid tribute to him, highlighting the importance of Nellie’s work in opening the doors of the NBA to European talent:
I have tremendous respect for everything he did, especially for the way he believed in international players
Luka Doncic
Even the league’s Commissioner, Adam Silver, wanted to pay tribute to a figure who spanned nearly five decades of basketball history:
He revolutionized the NBA with his courage and ingenuity. His influence will continue to be felt for generations
Adam Silver
Don Nelson leaves behind the image of a genuine man, capable of challenging conventions (Steph and Dirk are the perfect examples) and teaching generations of champions to play without fear. Today’s NBA, fast-paced and without fixed positions, is proof that, in the end, he was right.