This season, the Golden State Warriors will pay tribute to legendary NBA coach Don Nelson by wearing a commemorative patch on their uniforms. The patch will feature the word “NELLIE” across the shoulder, a heartfelt nod to their former coach.
On Wednesday, Golden State revealed plans for the tribute patch to honor Nelson, who passed away on August 9.
Nelson’s coaching legacy with the Warriors is notable, encompassing two distinct periods from 1988-1995 and 2006-2010, during which he secured 422 regular-season wins with the team.
Under his leadership, the Warriors made significant strides, reaching the playoffs six times and advancing to the Western Conference finals on three occasions.
Before his successful time with Golden State, Nelson had a remarkable career with the Milwaukee Bucks, achieving a 540-344 record from November 1976 through May 1987.
In 2010, Nelson became the NBA’s all-time winningest coach and eventually fell to second on that list in 2022, when Gregg Popovich surpassed him. Nelson had 1,335 regular-season victories, and Popovich had 1,390.
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 team with “We believe.” The Warriors eliminated a 67-win Mavericks team from the playoffs and became the first eighth-seeded team to eliminate a top-seeded team in a seven-game playoff series.
The game differential of the Warriors over the Mavericks went on to become the largest by a team to do so in a playoff series.
Nelson’s final major contribution to the Warriors came in 2009, when he laid the foundation for the franchise’s dynasty.
At the time, it was viewed as a “long shot,” but the Warriors selected Steph Curry with the seventh overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft based on Nelson’s recommendation. The franchise went on to win four NBA titles in 2015, 2018, 2018 and 2022 behind the game’s greatest shooter.