The Warriors are set to honor late NBA coach Don Nelson this season by sporting a band across the shoulder of their uniforms that reads “NELLIE.”
Golden State announced the new patch Wednesday for Nelson, who died Aug. 9.
Nelson had two teaching stints with the Warriors (1988-1995 and 2006-2010) and had 422 regular-season victories with the franchise.
During his Golden State tenure, the Warriors reached the playoffs six occasions and made it to the Western Conference finals 3 times.
Prior to teaching Golden State, Nelson had a profitable tenure with the Bucks, main Milwaukee to a 540-344 document from November 1976 to May 1987.
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In 2010, Nelson turned the NBA’s all-time winningest coach and ultimately fell to second on that record in 2022, when Gregg Popovich surpassed him. Nelson had 1,335 regular-season victories, and Popovich had 1,390.
Former Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson to be honored by the crew in 2026 NBA season. Getty Images
Although Nelson never won an NBA Finals, one of his most iconic moments as a coach came in 2007 when he sparked his Golden State crew with “We believe.” The Warriors eradicated a 67-win Mavericks crew from the playoffs and turned the first eighth-seeded crew to get rid of a top-seeded crew in a seven-game playoff sequence.
The sport differential of the Warriors over the Mavericks went on to become the largest by a crew to do so in a playoff sequence.
Nelson’s ultimate main contribution to the Warriors came in 2009, when he laid the basis for the franchise’s dynasty.
Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry during an NBA sport against the New York Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
At the time, it was seen as a “long shot,” but the Warriors chosen Steph Curry with the seventh general choose of the 2009 NBA Draft based mostly on Nelson’s suggestion. The franchise went on to win 4 NBA titles in 2015, 2018, 2018 and 2022 behind the sport’s best shooter.