As news of Don Nelson’s death spread Sunday, tributes rushed in from former players, colleagues, teams and executives for the longtime NBA coach.Mark Cuban, Dirk Nowitzki, Luka Dončić, Stephen Curry and NBA commissioner Adam Silver were among the many to express their love and appreciation after Nelson’s family revealed he died Sunday morning at 86.One of the winningest coaches in NBA history and a five-time champion as a player with the Boston Celtics, Nelson had a profound impact on the league over more than five decades. And that impact could be seen in the many testimonials that hit social media Sunday, including one from Nowitzki that credited Nelson for changing his career.“You didn’t just draft me. You believed in me,” Nowitzki wrote Sunday in a post on X. “You saw things in my game before I ever realized I could do them. I’ve said it a million times and I will always say it: I don’t think my career could have turned out how it did without you being my first coach and giving me the freedom to play my game. I can only say THANK YOU. For everything.”Nelson was the head coach for four franchises during his NBA coaching career that spanned 31 seasons. He spent 11 seasons each with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors, as well as eight seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. Nelson also coached the 1995-96 season with the New York Knicks. As a player, Nelson spent 11 of his 14 seasons with the Boston Celtics. He played his rookie season with the Chicago Zephyrs (1962-63), then spent the next two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.“Don Nelson revolutionized NBA basketball through his fearlessness, ingenuity and deep conviction,” Silver said in a statement released by the NBA. “… He brought an unmistakable personality to everything he did, and his impact on our sport will continue to be felt for generations.”