HOF coach Nelson recipient of Chuck Daly Award

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Don Nelson has been invited to the NBA Finals countless times successful caller years, ever declining those opportunities.

This time, his peers recovered a mode to guarantee helium couldn't accidental no.

Nelson -- a Basketball Hall of Famer and three-time NBA manager of the twelvemonth -- was announced Sunday arsenic this year's recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. It volition beryllium formally fixed retired Sunday night, astir an hr earlier Game 2 of the NBA Finals betwixt the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

"History has already reflected Don Nelson's staggering contributions arsenic a cutting-edge innovator and visionary of the NBA game," said Pacers manager and NBCA president Rick Carlisle. "Back successful the '80s and '90s, helium made teams set to historical pace, wide 3-point shooting, inverted offense, and disruptive antiaircraft schemes. All this portion establishing himself arsenic 1 of the astir compelling personalities successful each of nonrecreational sports."

Nelson, 85, retired successful 2010 arsenic the NBA's all-time coaching wins person with 1,335, conscionable up of Lenny Wilkens' 1,332. Nelson kept that apical spot for astir 12 years earlier now-retired San Antonio manager Gregg Popovich passed him successful March 2022.

Nelson is 1 of lone 2 coaches successful NBA past to person astatine slightest 250 wins with 3 antithetic franchises. He got to that people with Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State, and besides coached New York concisely successful his career.

Nelson and Daly were adjacent friends. They went head-to-head 41 times arsenic coaches: Nelson's teams went 21-20 successful those games.

"Chuck was an implicit genius successful each facets of the crippled and life," Nelson said. "I'm gladsome I had the accidental to manager against him, larn from him, and payment from his knowledge. To accidental that I'm profoundly touched to person an grant that bears his sanction would beryllium an understatement. This is special."

Nelson took teams to the playoffs 18 times arsenic a manager and won 5 championships arsenic a subordinate with the Boston Celtics. He started coaching successful 1976 and what became known arsenic "Nellie Ball" soon created a buzz with him being mostly credited for introducing what is present known arsenic the constituent forward.

His up-tempo violative ways were astir apt champion connected show with Golden State successful the "Run TMC" epoch featuring Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin.

The grant is successful Daly's representation and celebrates his "integrity, competitory excellence, and tireless promotion of NBA basketball."

Prior recipients are Rudy Tomjanovich (2024), Rick Adelman (2023), Mike Fratello (2022), Larry Brown (2021), Del Harris (2020), Frank Layden (2019), Doug Moe (2018), Al Attles and Hubie Brown (2017), K.C. Jones and Jerry Sloan (2016), Dick Motta (2015), Bernie Bickerstaff (2014), Bill Fitch (2013), Pat Riley (2012), Lenny Wilkens (2011), Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter (2010) and Tommy Heinsohn (2009).