Nellie honored as Hall of Fame finalist

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Nellie honored as Hall of Fame finalist

By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

HOUSTON -- Don Nelson's contributions to the game of basketball don't need the validation of the Hall of Fame. But he's likely to get it, anyway.

The former Mavericks coach, less than a year into his retirement, is one of 16 finalists for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

"I'm humbled by the nomination," Nelson said Friday by phone from Maui. "I just wish my mother were alive to witness this.

"Who would have ever thought a farm boy from Illinois would ever be nominated for the Hall of Fame? Unbelievable."

The Class of 2006 will be announced April 3 before the men's NCAA Championship Game in Indianapolis. Nelson is a finalist for the first time.

His humility is understandable. His credentials are staggering.

"Even if he never played 14 years in the league, his coaching alone would be enough for the Hall of Fame," said Del Harris, an assistant under Nelson with the Mavs and Milwaukee.

Nelson -- who has more than 42 years of NBA experience as a player, coach, general manager and consultant -- has the second-most coaching victories in NBA history with 1,190, including a franchise-record 339 with the Mavs. He's one of only two coaches in NBA history to record 250 victories with three franchises and won the Coach of the Year award three times.

Nelson, 65, also coached the second Dream Team to a gold medal in the 1994 World Championships, won five NBA titles as a player in Boston and had his No. 19 retired by the Celtics.

"He's a natural Hall of Famer, someone who's played in the league and coached in the league for, what, 40 years," said Steve Nash, the reigning MVP who played five years for Nelson.

"The guy was a part of writing the illegal defense rules. He's been an innovator as a coach, as a player he was a champion. Unbelievable. I have a big, huge, warm place in my heart for Nellie and everything he taught me."

Nelson said the recognition "touched his heart." Obviously, he touched those of his players.

"Nellie meant so much to me, so I'm a big fan of his and always will be," Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki said. "He was the guy that got me over here. He supported me from the beginning. He gave me a lot of confidence. He gave me playing time from the beginning where maybe I didn't even deserve it.

"His basketball knowledge is so great. He did it as a player. He did it as a coach, so for me, it's a no-brainer."

Many speculate that Nelson's return to coaching is also a slam dunk. Nelson resigned from the Mavs on March 19 and became a consultant with the team.

Mavs owner Mark Cuban continued to honor Nelson's coaching contract, which pays more than $5 million per year but expires after this season. Nelson has been linked to possible openings in Sacramento, Seattle and Golden State.

"I'm not planning on it at this particular moment," he said of coaching. "I've been in New Zealand. I'm in Maui. I'm having the time of my life."

Among the other Hall finalists are Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, Joe Dumars, former Mavs forward Adrian Dantley, Ralph Sampson, former Purdue coach Gene Keady, current Connecticut women's coach Geno Auriemma and broadcaster Dick Vitale.

The "new class" will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Mass., in September. Finalists need 18 of 24 votes from the Hall's Honors Committee for election.