SAN FRANCISCO – Former Warriors coach Don Nelson will add another accolade to his already impressive resume on Sunday evening.
The Hall of Fame coach and general manager will receive the 2025 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Basketball Coaches Association before Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Pacers and Thunder.
“Chuck was an absolute genius in all facets of the game and life. I’m glad I had the opportunity to coach against him, learn from him, and benefit from his knowledge,” Nelson said in a press release from the coaches association. “To say that I’m deeply touched to receive an award that bears his name would be an understatement. This is special.”
The award’s selection committee includes legendary coaches such as Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Lenny Wilkens and Pat Riley, as well as executives such as Nelson’s son Donnie Walsh and Joe Dumars.
Nelson is second all-time in coaching wins with 1,335 victories, and coached for 31 seasons, beginning his career by leading strong Milwaukee teams in the 1980s, and also coaching the Knicks and Mavericks.
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The Hall of Famer was best known for his two stints with the Warriors. He helped guide the Run TMC Warriors to four playoff appearances between 1988 and 1994.
Over a decade later, Nelson returned to the Bay Area for the 2006-07 season, when the “We Believe” Warriors upset the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
The man who pioneered the “small ball” concepts that would come to define the league retired from coaching after the 2009-10 season, having coached Steph Curry in his rookie season.
