The Godfather of Small Ball Got a Farewell Fit for a King

DALLAS — The scoreboard may have gone dark, but the love was brighter than ever. Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history and the mad scientist behind "Nellie Ball," was given a celebration of life Thursday that matched his outsized personality: loud, funny, and absolutely packed with the game's royalty.

Nelson died Sunday at 86, and the basketball universe hit pause to honor a man who won 1,335 games, three Coach of the Year trophies, and five rings as a Celtic — but really, the guy just made basketball fun as hell.

Steve Nash Couldn't Hold It Together

Hall of Famer Steve Nash, who spent six seasons under Nelson in Dallas, spoke at the service and made it personal. Per The Dallas Morning News, Nash looked at Nelson's family and said:

"Thank you for sharing him with all of us. And especially thank you for sharing him with me. Because you shared him with me, I was blessed to have a coach, a mentor and a man in my life who helped change its direction. I will never forget that."

Nash also delivered a letter from another all-time great: Dirk Nowitzki, who couldn't attend due to a family commitment in Europe. Ever the jokester, Dirk wrote that Nellie would understand because, "I think Nellie loved my dad more than he loved me."

"When he came into a room, everything lit up. He was funny. He was loud. He was joking. He was truly one of a kind and he was the ultimate players' coach," Nowitzki's letter read.

Nellie Was Decades Ahead of Everybody

Rick Carlisle, who now holds the Mavericks' all-time wins record, made the case that Nelson wasn't just a coach—he was a basketball visionary who saw the future before anyone else had the goggles.

"Terms like 'small ball, stretch-big, point-forward, positionless, cross-matching' are all common terms today. Nellie invented this stuff," Carlisle said. "And it wasn't until a few years ago when everyone else figured out this is the way the game should go. He was decades ahead of them."

That's not hyperbole. Nelson coached 31 seasons across Milwaukee, Golden State (twice), New York, and Dallas, retiring with the most wins ever at the time. Gregg Popovich finally passed him in March 2022 — fitting, because Pop once served as Nelson's assistant with the Warriors before becoming, well, Gregg Popovich.

Pop's Heartfelt Goodbye

Popovich also spoke Thursday, and he summed up what it meant for the NBA's who's who to cram into that Dallas church.

"It's obviously sad for everyone that it has to be an event like this for a way to get together," Pop said. "But it's emblematic of what Nellie did for almost all of us. He had some effect on all of us in this church."

Also in the building: Nelson's son Donnie, plus players like Sidney Moncrief, Tim Hardaway, and Chris Mullin. Actor Owen Wilson even showed up via video message, which feels exactly like the kind of weird, wonderful guest list Nellie would've loved.

Don Nelson played 14 seasons with the Boston Celtics, who retired his No. 19 jersey in 1978. He won five NBA titles as a player. But his real championship was changing how basketball is played — not with rules, but with creativity and trust.

Rest easy, Nellie. You got your final standing ovation.