Whoa Nellie...1,333 Reasons Why There Are Smoke Rings Encircling Heaven

Don Nelson, who played 14 years in the NBA and won five rings in 11 years with the Celtics, has eclipsed the record of Lenny Wilkens to become the winningest coach in NBA history with 1,333. Coaching in the league for 31 seasons of coaching innovation, health setbacks, and some controversy—but mostly excellence—Nellie has established a milestone that it will be most difficult for anyone to surmount.

We were friends for a a few years in the early 1970s, which allows me to tell the following story for probably the final time.

In the spring of 1970, I was friendly with a the president of a youth basketball league, and they were looking for a speaker for their annual breakup/awards dinner. The year before, I had introduced them to Sam Jones, who did the honors. This time, I asked Nellie, and he graciously agreed as he had a night off between games. I'm sure the magnificent fee of $300 had a lot to do with it.

After he wowed the hundreds of kids and signed autographs for every one of them, the two of us went out for a couple of beers. We got to talking about his plans after retirement. It turned out he had none, and he was very concerned. You said, “I have no idea what I’m going to do after I quit. The only thing I know is basketball and selling advertising for a scholastic magazine.” I asked about the possibility of coaching, and you said, “It’s tough to get into coaching unless you’re a star. My only chance might be with the Celtics, and Heinsohn's got that sewed up. Besides, I don't know anything about teaching."

It turned out that Nellie became coach of the Milwaukee Bucks in 1976, the very year he retired as a player (going out a champion with the Celtics). Here’s a link to a very good interview with him, conducted just two games ago. He’s extremely candid. One thing I did not know was that, after his Milwaukee team knocked the Bird-McHale-Parish Celtics out of the 1983 playoffs, Red Auerbach asked Nellie to succeed Bill Fitch as coach of the Celtics. Nellie now regrets that, due to loyalty toward Milwaukee, he declined.

He also says he wants to coach one more year, although I believe there have been rumblings that new Warriors ownership will not keep him around. And I doubt that, having turned age 70 this coming May 15, he’d go elsewhere rather than retiring. He was recently passed over for the Hall of Fame for something like the sixth time. I can only hope that mistake will be remedied soon.

A few months ago, I wrote a letter to send him, reminding him of our chat in the bar 40 years ago. But, since he was closing in on the record, I decided not to send it until the milestone was his. The letter follows:

Dear Nellie,

This is a voice from the past, which you may or may not remember. I was a friend of Sam Jones from Sharon, and I prevailed upon you to accept a speaking engagement at a church league breakup dinner in the Town of Easton in1970. You gave an excellent talk, and the two of us went out for some beers afterwards. Among other things, you talked about life after your playing days. You said “I have no idea what I’m going to do after I quit. The only thing I know is basketball and selling advertising for a scholastic magazine.” I asked about the possibility of coaching, and you said, “It’s tough to get into coaching unless you’re a star.” I went to bed that night actually feeling badly for someone who already had three NBA championship rings.

So now I’m writing to remind you of those comments, congratulate you on your achievement, and to say one thing to you:

I’m glad you found work.

Sam

Sam wrote:Don Nelson, who played 14 years in the NBA and won five rings in 11 years with the Celtics, has eclipsed the record of Lenny Wilkens to become the winningest coach in NBA history with 1,333. Coaching in the league for 31 seasons of coaching innovation, health setbacks, and some controversy—but mostly excellence—Nellie has established a milestone that it will be most difficult for anyone to surmount.

We were friends for a a few years in the early 1970s, which allows me to tell the following story for probably the final time.

In the spring of 1970, I was friendly with a the president of a youth basketball league, and they were looking for a speaker for their annual breakup/awards dinner. The year before, I had introduced them to Sam Jones, who did the honors. This time, I asked Nellie, and he graciously agreed as he had a night off between games. I'm sure the magnificent fee of $300 had a lot to do with it.

After he wowed the hundreds of kids and signed autographs for every one of them, the two of us went out for a couple of beers. We got to talking about his plans after retirement. It turned out he had none, and he was very concerned. You said, “I have no idea what I’m going to do after I quit. The only thing I know is basketball and selling advertising for a scholastic magazine.” I asked about the possibility of coaching, and you said, “It’s tough to get into coaching unless you’re a star. My only chance might be with the Celtics, and Heinsohn's got that sewed up. Besides, I don't know anything about teaching."

It turned out that Nellie became coach of the Milwaukee Bucks in 1976, the very year he retired as a player (going out a champion with the Celtics). Here’s a link to a very good interview with him, conducted just two games ago. He’s extremely candid. One thing I did not know was that, after his Milwaukee team knocked the Bird-McHale-Parish Celtics out of the 1983 playoffs, Red Auerbach asked Nellie to succeed Bill Fitch as coach of the Celtics. Nellie now regrets that, due to loyalty toward Milwaukee, he declined.

He also says he wants to coach one more year, although I believe there have been rumblings that new Warriors ownership will not keep him around. And I doubt that, having turned age 70 this coming May 15, he’d go elsewhere rather than retiring. He was recently passed over for the Hall of Fame for something like the sixth time. I can only hope that mistake will be remedied soon.

A few months ago, I wrote a letter to send him, reminding him of our chat in the bar 40 years ago. But, since he was closing in on the record, I decided not to send it until the milestone was his. The letter follows:

Dear Nellie,

This is a voice from the past, which you may or may not remember. I was a friend of Sam Jones from Sharon, and I prevailed upon you to accept a speaking engagement at a church league breakup dinner in the Town of Easton in1970. You gave an excellent talk, and the two of us went out for some beers afterwards. Among other things, you talked about life after your playing days. You said “I have no idea what I’m going to do after I quit. The only thing I know is basketball and selling advertising for a scholastic magazine.” I asked about the possibility of coaching, and you said, “It’s tough to get into coaching unless you’re a star.” I went to bed that night actually feeling badly for someone who already had three NBA championship rings.

So now I’m writing to remind you of those comments, congratulate you on your achievement, and to say one thing to you:

I’m glad you found work.

Sam

You signed it "Sam"? That guarantees you he won't remember you!

Tres astute Steve!

No, I didn't include a signature to the letter, which I deleted when I pasted the letter here.

I signed the POST "Sam." But thanks for keeping me straight.

Sam

What he's looked like 1061 other times!!

beat

Nellie has 1333 wins. Phil Jackson has 1096. Jerry Sloan has 1188. That's 146 wins more than the next winningest active coach. If LA wins 60 games/year (and 65-year old Phil doesn't retire, as is occasionally rumored), he'd need almost 4 full seasons to catch Nellie. If Jerry Sloan (68 years old) sticks around and the Jazz win 52 games per/year, he'll need almost 3 more seasons to catch Nellie.

Nellie's not completely, totally out of the woods but he's looking pretty good.

Considering the injury lists from the GSW over the past 2 seasons read like a battle casualty report, what he's accomplished is damn impressive. I mean, this season, there were so many players injured they had to suit up an injured player who was not and could not play, just so they wouldn't default for having less than the minimum 8 players in uniform. I can't remember who they played, but they were actually very competitive in that game.

bob

.

I wish I could find a photo of Nellie with the Fish Ties he used to wear.

They were classic.

beat

Sam wrote:No, I didn't include a signature to the letter, which I deleted when I pasted the letter here.

I signed the POST "Sam." But thanks for keeping me straight.

Sam

I was just kidding you. I knew you wouldn't have signed it "Sam."

Steve,

I could well have done that. I've almost forgotten my real name.

Clyde

Sam wrote:Steve,

I could well have done that. I've almost forgotten my real name.

Clyde

Clyde,

So, is Bonnie looking forward to seeing San Francisco again?