HoopsHype.com Rumors

Five-time NBA All-Star Reggie Miller and Don Nelson, the league’s winningest coach, headline the list of 12 finalists for the 2012 class for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Washington Times

Don Nelson, Hall of Fame, Reggie Miller 

Miller was joined Friday by three other first-time finalists _ five-time NCAA Final Four coach Rick Pitino, former NBA coach Bill Fitch and two-time Olympic gold medalist Katrina McClain. Previous finalists on the ballot again are Nelson, Maurice Cheeks, Bernard King, Dick Motta, Hank Nichols, Ralph Sampson, Jamaal Wilkes and the All-American Red Heads, known as the female version of the Harlem Globetrotters and the first women’s professional basketball team. Washington Times

Maurice Cheeks, Don Nelson, Hall of Fame, Reggie Miller 

Vincent Goodwill: As an NBA exec told me about the Monroe-Udoh picks, Don Nelson is "the gift that keeps on giving" #Pistons Twitter

Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Greg Monroe, Ekpe Udoh, Don Nelson 

Anyone know where Don Nelson can get an extra 100 tickets for the University of Iowa commencement ceremony next spring? On May 12, almost 50 years after turning in his Hawkeye basketball uniform and leaving Iowa City for the NBA, Nelson will cross the stage at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and collect the diploma he’d always wanted but, until recently, never knew he’d earned. Approaching 72, he wants to share the moment with friends and family, which includes his wife, Joy, five children and 13 grandkids. “It’s a big day in my life,” Nelson says from Dallas. Des Moines Register

Coaching, Don Nelson 

To hear him talk, if he had to choose between that elusive coaching championship and a college diploma, you wouldn’t be surprised to see him reach for the sheepskin. The lump in Nelson’s throat almost kept him from breaking the news last month to his son Donnie, the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks. “I could hardly get the words out,” he says. “All my kids have degrees, but when I went to Iowa, no one in the Nelson family had ever graduated from college. The kids are all very proud of their father getting his degree, but I don’t know if they’re as excited as I am.” Des Moines Register

Coaching, Don Nelson 

According to SportsBusiness Daily: Former NBA coach DON NELSON will graduate from college “almost 50 years after being” drafted in the ’62 NBA Draft. Nelson “plans to go through the University of Iowa commencement service in the spring of 2012, having fulfilled the necessary credits for his bachelor’s degree.” IamaGM.com

Don Nelson 

Chamberlain kept his dogs in the car during early 1970s shootarounds. That wasn’t the case with former NBA coach Don Nelson. “He’d have his dog (Bucky) on the court, and he would come out on the court and take a leak," Indiana forward Mike Dunleavy remembers about playing for Nelson with Golden State in 2006-07. “Our trainer would have to come out and wipe it up." Boston forward Troy Murphy, then also with the Warriors, said basketball sometimes would continue before the trainer got out a sponge. “(Bucky) would eat an omlette before shootaround and then go out and piss on the floor," Murphy said. “You’d kind of have to dribble around it to get your shots up." Karl said players used to bring their dogs to San Antonio shootarounds in the mid 1970s when he was a player. That sometimes turned out to be quite an adventure. “We started having fights with dogs at shootaround," Karl said. FOXSports Florida

Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy, Don Nelson 

Charles F. Gardner: Don Nelson appeared at #Bucks event Monday, said he thought he was good fit for Timberwolves job. "I didn't get the job, but that's OK." Twitter

Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

I hear Kahn has told others in the league that the next coach will be either Adelman or Don Nelson. That goes with what I heard six weeks ago, that he told other GMs he isn’t hiring another relatively unproven coach after the failed Kurt Rambis experiment. And that means choosing one of the proven four 60- or 70-something coaches – Bernie Bickerstaff and Larry Brown are the others -- they interviewed. Nelson, 71, probably would sign a three-year deal at $10 million total (excluding incentives) or less. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, David Kahn, Don Nelson, Glen Taylor, Rick Adelman 

Jerry Zgoda: If u see Don Nelson around town this weekend, don't draw conclusions. I hear he's here to visit his grandkids, not on #Timberwolves bizness Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

The Wolves brass worked for weeks to get Adelman to come in for more than a phone interview. If he wants the job, and they can agree on a salary, the job is probably his. The salary would probably have to be around $5 million per year. Adelman joins Don Nelson and Sam Mitchell, likely, as the team's top candidates. The 65-year-old Adelman has taken time off during his career, and the thought is he might want to take another year off to spend time with his family. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Sam Mitchell, Don Nelson, Rick Adelman 

Everybody in the league I have talked with in recent weeks would be more than surprised, though, if Adelman agrees to coach the Wolves. If he declines, the Wolves then will move ahead with the process and probably choose either Nelson or Mitchell for the job. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Sam Mitchell, Don Nelson, Rick Adelman 

Jerry Zgoda: Don Nelson has been in town most of the week already visiting his schoolteacher daughter and grandkids in Minnetonka, will interview Sunday Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

Expect the Wolves to bring more candidates — including former Golden State coach Don Nelson and Portland assistant Bernie Bickerstaff, even though Bickerstaff’s son J.B. has taken a job with Houston — to town for more interviews with Kahn and owner Glen Taylor in the next week. Expect Nelson to interview either Thursday or Friday. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

Jerry Zgoda: So talkative previously, Nellie's now gone quiet. So assume he's in line to interview with #Timberwolves in Minny, probably yet this week. Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

And just FYI: Nelson said late Sunday night from Hawaii that he did not speak again with Kahn over the weekend as he had expected to, but said he doesn't think it means anything one way or the other. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

Chris Tomasson: If Don Nelson (now 71 2 months 1 day) named Minnesota coach would pass Hubie Brown 71, one day shy of 2 months) for oldest regular NBA coach Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

Jerry Zgoda: Don Nelson said he talked with Kahn for 40 mins and will talk again this weekend: “I think it’d be a great fit. I love Minnesota.” Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

Jerry Zgoda: Nellie why he's interested: “They have an opening and I don’t have a job. I’m a lifer. I love basketball. I don’t know how else to put it.” Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

Jerry Zgoda: One more from Nellie: "I don’t feel any older than 50. I don’t feel my age. I may look like it. I may act like it. But I don’t feel it." Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson