Warriors to Honor Hall of Fame Coach Don Nelson With ‘Nellie’ Jersey Band

Tribute Details and Uniform Placement

According to the Golden State Warriors, the “Nellie” memorial band will appear prominently on the upper left side of the team’s uniforms, positioned directly above the IREN badge throughout the 2026-27 campaign. The franchise plans to further pay tribute to its former coach on October 6, during the team’s first home preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Two Defining Eras in the Bay Area

Nelson accumulated 422 regular-season victories during his 11 years at the helm in Golden State, serving across two distinct stints from 1988 to 1995 and later from 2006 to 2010. His initial tenure featured the “Run TMC” teams, anchored by Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin. When Nelson returned to the bench in 2006, he engineered one of the most memorable upsets in league history. The 2006-07 squad, dubbed the “We Believe” Warriors, finished as the eighth seed and stunned the top-seeded, 67-win Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. That series victory marked the first time an eight-seed defeated a one-seed in a seven-game series, overcoming a 25-win regular-season disparity that is the largest ever by a team to win a playoff series.

A Hall of Fame Coaching Legacy

Over a distinguished 31-year NBA head coaching career that included stints with the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, and Golden State, Nelson amassed 1,335 regular-season victories, holding the record for most wins in league history at the time of his retirement in 2010. The league named him NBA Coach of the Year three times—earning the accolade with Milwaukee in 1983 and 1985 before capturing the award with Golden State in 1992. He remains one of only three coaches in NBA history to win the honor three times, alongside Gregg Popovich and Pat Riley. Furthermore, Nelson joined Lenny Wilkens as the only coaches to record at least 300 victories with three different franchises, totaling 540 wins with the Bucks, 422 with the Warriors, and 339 with the Mavericks. In recognition of his enduring impact on the sport, Nelson received the 2025 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, joining Al Attles (2023) and Rick Adelman (2017) as the third Warriors head coach to earn the distinction.

Championship Pedigree as a Player

Before leaving an indelible mark on the sideline, Nelson enjoyed a 14-year playing career in the NBA. Selected by the Chicago Zephyrs in the third round (19th overall) of the 1962 NBA Draft out of the University of Iowa, he appeared in 1,053 regular-season games for the Zephyrs, Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston Celtics, averaging 10.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. He spent 11 seasons with the Celtics, capturing five NBA championships in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, and 1976. Nelson also led the NBA in field goal percentage (.539) during the 1974-75 season and saw his No. 19 jersey retired by Boston in 1978.

Next Steps for the Franchise

The Warriors will officially debut the “Nellie” jersey bands in-game when the preseason tips off on October 6 against the Lakers, setting the tone for a season-long tribute to one of the most influential figures in franchise and league history.