About this episode

Bob Ryan and Gary Tanguay reflect on the life and career of Don Nelson, highlighting his unique journey to the Celtics and his impact on the game.

Don Nelson has passed away at 86. Bob Ryan and Gary Tanguay spend this episode remembering the real Nelly — not just the Hall of Fame coach, but the Celtic most people under 60 never saw play. The story nobody knows: Nelson became a Celtic for $1,000 cash because rival Tom Heinsohn personally told Red Auerbach to go get him. 0:00 — Why Tom Heinsohn told Red to sign Don Nelson 1:05 — Nelson’s early career and the Havlicek birthday coincidence 4:36 — His playing days at Iowa and a rough stretch with the Lakers 5:23 — Signed to the Celtics for $1,000 cash 6:45 — Heinsohn’s go-to clutch play was always for Nelson 8:38 — The legendary Game 7 shot off the back of the rim 11:37 — PrizePicks 12:41 — The bar debate that ended with broken glasses 14:04 — Bill Russell called him “the ultimate Celtic” 14:31 — Retiring to Maui, and a famous marijuana patch 17:34 — The 1983 friction with Red Auerbach as a coach 20:19 — Building Run TMC and drafting Nowitzki and Nash in one night 24:44 — Bob Ryan’s personal story: the 10,000-point favor NBA History on CLNS Media is Powered by 💰 PrizePicks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $150…

People in this episode

Host: Nick Gelso

Guests: Bob Ryan, Gary Tanguay

Topics covered

• Don Nelson
• Celtics history
• Bob Ryan
• Tom Heinsohn
• NBA coaching
• basketball legends

Keywords

• Don Nelson
• Celtics
• Bob Ryan
• Tom Heinsohn
• Red Auerbach
• NBA history
• basketball
• PrizePicks

Sponsors

PrizePicks

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Celtics, NBA History on CLNS Media

Products: PrizePicks

More episodes of NBA History Story Tellers on CLNS

• Jordan vs. Bird: 1988 Duel No One Remembers | The 1988 Tapes 📼 · September 4, 2026 · 17 min
• Will Jaylen Brown Get His Number Retired? · August 30, 2026 · 25 min
• Would Doc Rivers Even Be a Hall of Famer Without 2008 Celtics? Bob Ryan Weighs In 😳 · August 20, 2026 · 34 min
• Cedric Maxwell: ‘I’m Pissed Off’ about Jaylen Brown | Cedric Maxwell Podcast · August 9, 2026 · 22 min
• Was Dave Cowens Lying About Larry Bird? Bob Ryan Responds · August 2, 2026 · 19 min
• Kareem in a Rocking Chair. Larry Bird Made ONE Phone Call. Bill Russell Just Disappeared. — Bob Ryan · July 25, 2026 · 16 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the NBA History Story Tellers on CLNS podcast page.