Don Nelson finalist for the Hall of Fame
Don Nelson is often known as a mad scientist throughout his exalted coaching career for his cutting edge and unusual strategies, especially so in turning round the moribund Dallas Mavericks, will be between this year’s class inducted into the Basketball Hall of fame. Low juice nfl betting
Nelson, a 3-time coach of the year and the NBA’s all-time winningest coach, asserted he got the call last Wednesday morning after being ignored for a few years. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will officially announce the 2012 class at the NCAA Final 4 in New Orleans. Low juice football betting
“It’s a real honor to finish my career,” related Nelson, who is involved in one or two business ventures and splits his time between Dallas and Maui. “I’ve had a wonderful time and a great life coaching basketball. I do not basically need to be rewarded for anything, but I am very proud and my family is very happy with this award.”
Nelson, 71-year-old, was left off past classes reputedly for one purpose — he lacked a championship ring. He said former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who never won a title while racking up 1,221 wins in 26 seasons — including 23 with the Jazz — being inducted in 2009 opened the door.
Nelson’s coaching career began in the 1976-77 season, taking over a Milwaukee Bucks team that was 3-15. His coaching career came to a close after 4 seasons into his 2nd stint with the Golden State Warriors in 2010.
Between, Nelson had a long 1st stint with the Warriors and a short stay with the N.Y Knicks before taking over the Mavericks in 1997, where he was named Chief Coach and General Manager and led them to 4 uninterrupted 50-win seasons.
One important result of Nelson’s reign at the helm of the Mavericks was the advent of the “Hack-a-Shaq” defense to the NBA.
Before getting into coaching, Nelson had a 14-year NBA playing career. He played one season for the Chicago Zephyrs (the franchise that eventually became the Washington Wizards) after they drafted him in 1962. After 2 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, he had a 10-season run with the Boston Celtics that included 5 NBA championships. He had a job scoring average of 10.3 points.
Nelson was one of 12 finalists for the class of 2012, along with Indiana Pacers great Reggie Miller, 5-time NCAA Final 4 coach Rick Pitino, previous NBA coach Bill Fitch and 2-time Olympic gold medalist Katrina McClain.
On the ballot again are Maurice Cheeks, Bernard King, Dick Motta, Hank Nichols, Ralph Sampson, Jamaal Wilkes and the All-American Red Heads, called the female version of the Harlem Globetrotters and the 1st women’s professional basketball team.
The finalists were announced on February 24. Five direct elections who will serve as the opening 2012 inductees also were reported in February: Mel Daniels, voted in by the American Basketball Association Committee; Don Barksdale from the Early African-American Pioneers Committee; Lidia Alexeeva from the International Committee; Chet Walker from the Veterans Committee; and Phil Knight from the Contributors Committee.