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A few other Nelson offerings of note: He despises the isolation game he once so effectively exploited; considers the European system of cutting, movement and passing as more appealing that the modern NBA diet of dribble-heavy, one-on-one play; regards his close friend, Gregg Popovich, as the league's premier coach; and admits that he desperately wanted the Minnesota Timberwolves job that went to Rick Adelman – "I would love to have coached Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love" – but insists his career victory total will stay at 1,335. Sacramento Bee

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Don Nelson 

But the coaching ring is the thing, of course, and Nelson wanted one just as badly as Jerry Sloan. "It wasn't meant to be," a matter-of-fact Nelson said Wednesday morning. "My (Milwaukee) Bucks teams kept running into those great Boston Celtics and Philadelphia Sixers clubs. Bird, McHale, Parish. Erving, Cheeks, Malone. But what are you going to do? I've had a great life. I still have a great life." Sacramento Bee

Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Don Nelson 

These days, he's Nellie, the entrepreneur. From his new shaved ice stand, to coffee plants and koa trees, to all his rental properties and a wedding venue in the works right off the beach, the 72-year-old Nelson is about as far removed from his old basketball life as he could be. MSNBC.com

Don Nelson 

Nelson also farms flowers - he gives them away because "there's not much money in flowers" - and will make olive oil from his olive trees. He's even dabbling in dog food. "It's treating me well. I'm a lucky man," he said of island life. "I found out that there's life after basketball, which is very exciting. I really haven't missed it that much, but I've been very busy, so that's probably part of the reason." "I invested my fortune on Maui," he added with a smile. "Those are the fun things I'm doing." MSNBC.com

Don Nelson 

He plays poker at least three times a week with his close-knit group of friends and has become a decent golfer. Those are the guys he called when he got word he was headed to the Hall. "I always kind of felt I was undeserving of getting there," he said. "I still feel unworthy, really. Somebody voted for me, I guess. ... I didn't have a feeling of what it would be. It's really nice. It's a pinnacle of everybody's career." MSNBC.com

Don Nelson 

Scott Howard-Cooper: Don Nelson, who wanted TWolves job a year ago, says he is permanently retired from coaching. Insists no interest even if someone calls. Twitter

Coaching, Don Nelson 

Don Nelson has spent a lifetime hanging out with a bunch of 20-somethings. He did it for 14 seasons as an NBA player. He did it for 31 more seasons as an NBA head coach, compiling more victories than anyone else. And he'll do it Saturday morning, when he dons cap and gown and receives his degree in physical education from the University of Iowa in commencement ceremonies at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. "The reason I coached all these years was that I enjoyed so much being around young, talented people," said Nelson, who turns 72 next Tuesday. "This will be like coaching my teams, really. I love talented, young kids." USA Today

Coaching, Don Nelson 

Five-time All-Star Reggie Miller and longtime coach Don Nelson are among a dozen players, coaches and teams that will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2012 was announced Monday in New Orleans, the site of the Final Four. Also elected were two-time Olympic gold medalist Katrina McClain, three-time college player of the year Ralph Sampson, four-time NBA champion Jamaal Wilkes, longtime referee Hank Nichols, and the All-American Red Heads, the female version of the Harlem Globetrotters. ESPN.com

Don Nelson, Hall of Fame, Reggie Miller, Ralph Sampson, Jamaal Wilkes 

Nelson coached the Bucks from 1976-87 and compiled a 540-344 record. That is easily the most wins in Bucks’ history and his winning percentage of .661 is the best among the 11 coaches in franchise history. Current Bucks coach Scott Skiles began his pro playing career in Milwaukee in 1986 under Nelson. Skiles said Nelson made an impact on him and felt it was inevitable before Nelson would be accorded the game’s ultimate honor. “It seems obvious to me,” Skiles said of Nelson’s selection. “He’s won more games than anybody else. He did it with different franchises. He was a three-time coach of the year (in 1983, 1985 and 1992).” Racine Journal-Times

Milwaukee Bucks, Don Nelson, Hall of Fame, Scott Skiles 

Bucks assistant coach Sidney Moncrief not only played for Nelson in Milwaukee but was later an assistant coach for him, Monrief, one of the NBA’s greatest defensive guards ever and the recipient of the first two Defensive Player of the Years awards, said he wouldn’t have accomplished as much as he did without Nelson’s mentoring. “I would not have been a five-time NBA All-Star, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the year, an all-pro without Don Nelson and playing in his system,’’ Moncrief said. “The way he coached us, the way he trained us was exceptional. “He had high expectations for us and expected us to play at a high level.’’ Racine Journal-Times

Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Don Nelson, Hall of Fame, Sidney Moncrief 

While former NBA coach Don Nelson has disclosed that he has been voted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach Maurice Cheeks said Thursday night he has been informed he did not receive the necessary votes for induction. Cheeks did not elaborate on who told him or have any further comment. "I was told I didn't make it," he said. ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Maurice Cheeks, Coaching, Don Nelson, Hall of Fame 

Bucks assistant coach Sidney Moncrief became a star player with the franchise in the 1980s. And he gives much of the credit to coach Don Nelson, who learned Wednesday he will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Nelson won 540 games with the Bucks from 1976-'87 and went on to win 1,335 NBA games, the most of any coach in league history. "Nellie has had such a profound impact on the game of basketball, on the offensive and defensive end," Moncrief said Thursday. "A lot of people don't realize that Nellie was one of the first coaches in the NBA, that had the creative defenses that looked like a zone but was a man-to-man. "I think one thing you have to remember is his ability to adapt to his players and his players' style." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Don Nelson, Hall of Fame, Sidney Moncrief 

Moncrief played for the Bucks from 1979-'89 and was part of Nelson's string of seven consecutive division titles. Moncrief was a five-time all-star and two-time NBA defensive player of the year. "I remember when I was a rookie I was trying to play defense a certain way, like I played in college (at Arkansas)," Moncrief said. "I was very passive. "He said, 'You can't play defense like that in the NBA. You've got to get up on the guy, body the guy, be physical. All the things that were very important to me later as a player, he was able to bring out. Also from an offensive standpoint, I don't know if I would have been a five- time NBA all-star and do the things I've done without Nellie being my coach." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Don Nelson, Hall of Fame, Sidney Moncrief 

Former Bucks coach Don Nelson will be among this year's class inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Nelson told ESPN on Wednesday that he got the call earlier in the day. The official announcement of the 2012 class for the hall will be Monday at the NCAA Final Four in New Orleans. "It's a great honor to cap my career," Nelson said. "I've had a great time and a great life coaching basketball. I don't actually need to rewarded for anything, but I am very proud and my family is very proud of this award." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Coaching, Don Nelson, Hall of Fame 

Jerry Zgoda: Congratulations to Don Nelson for making the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame! Well, well deserved to NBA's all- time winning coach... Twitter

Coaching, Don Nelson 

That Nelson never won an NBA title as a coach? Neither did Jerry Sloan -- 2009 inductee Jerry Sloan -- and Nellie's rosters didn't come close to the talent level of having arguably the greatest power forward and the greatest true point guard on the same team at the same time in their prime. Hubie Brown didn't win an NBA title but got in as a Contributor in 2005 on the strength of his broadcasting work combined with success on the sidelines, which includes the 1975 ABA championship. "Nellie had his detractors," said one long-time NBA executive who never had a Hall of Fame vote with Nelson on the ballot. "He was not universally loved. There was always a certain controversy with Nellie. But the numbers don't lie." The 1,335-win number most of all. "He could be bristly and prickly and unconventional and radical," the executive said. "Nellie was a controversial character. With owners, he'd usually depart with harsh feelings. He would not win a lot of popularity contests. But he was an innovative coach, and the most remarkable thing was his longevity." NBA.com

Coaching, Don Nelson 

The Nelson debate says as much about the Hall as about the coach. Few candidacies say more, in fact, about the cliquish nature of the voting than the former Bucks, Warriors, Knicks and Mavericks coach passing Lenny Wilkens for No. 1 on the all-time win list in April 2010. In the very next election cycle, announced in February of 2011, he didn't so much as make the list of finalists. "I can't speak for the people who voted," said Hall chairman Jerry Colangelo about the people who vote but can't speak either. "It's a matter of votes." NBA.com

Coaching, Don Nelson 

The day that Golden State signed Kelenna Azubuike in 2006, Don Nelson was asked what he thought of Azubuike. "Love it," he said. "One of my favorite drinks." Dallas Morning News

Golden State Warriors, Kelenna Azubuike, Don Nelson 

As for the tension between Nelson and Mullin ... Nellie stood and immediately moved to embrace his former player (and, later, the GM who lured him out of retirement) at the press gathering. The relationship between the two may still be strained, but there appears to be some thawing. In contrast to his speech during his enshrinement last summer at the Hall of Fame, Mullin repeatedly and emphatically praised Nelson during his formal and informal chats with media members. Sacramento Bee

Golden State Warriors, Chris Mullin, Don Nelson 

Nelson said he'll finally be getting his college degree in May. He'll be earning his bachelor's degree in physical education from the University of Iowa. Nelson, 71, said he plans to attend the commencement ceremony with about 45 friends and family in attendance. Contra Costa Times

Coaching, Don Nelson