Don Nelson, five-time NBA champion and winner of 1,335 games as a coach, passed away on Sunday at the age of 86, his family announced in a statement.
Nelson won five rings with the Boston Celtics between 1965 and 1976, in a 14-season career that also included stints with the Chicago Zephyrs and the Los Angeles Lakers, as reported by Efe.
As a coach, he led the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Dallas Mavericks over 31 seasons.
He closed his career with a record of 1,335 victories on the bench, with 1,063 losses, a mark surpassed only by Gregg Popovich with 1,390.
He was selected three times as NBA Coach of the Year and has been a part of the Hall of Fame since 2012.
The reactions to his passing were immediate.
"It's a sad day for basketball after the passing of Don Nelson. I have great respect for him and all he did for this sport, especially for the way he believed in international players. I am grateful for the time I spent with him. Today my thoughts are with the entire Nelson family. Loved meeting you, coach," said Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr stated: "Don Nelson was a true innovator whose influence on basketball is still felt today. He constantly challenged conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and playing styles, and saw possibilities in the sport that others often did not."
"One of the main reasons the Warriors selected me was thanks to Don Nelson. It is said that he never liked rookies, but from day one he challenged me and gave me the opportunity to give my best on the court. I learned a lot from him during the only season we spent together, and I will never forget the night he became the coach with the most wins in NBA history in Minnesota," affirmed Steve Curry, one of the league's biggest stars.
German player Dirk Nowitzky played under Nelson and said: "Nellie... You not only signed me. You believed in me. You saw things in my game before I even realized I could do them. I've said it a million times and I'll always say it: I don't think my career could have turned out the way it did without you as my first coach and giving me the freedom to play my way. I can only say THANK YOU. For everything."