Former Warriors coach Don Nelson, the NBA's all-time winningest coach, will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year.
The announcement will be made official Monday, but Nelson confirmed he got the call Wednesday morning to ESPN.
Its a great honor to cap my career, Nelson said. Ive had a great time and a great life coaching basketball. I dont actually need to be rewarded for anything, but I am very proud and my family is very proud of this award.
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Nelson has been on the ballot before, but been snubbed each time. His lack of a championship as an NBA coach seemed to be his biggest hurdle.
REWIND: Nelson Hall of Fame finalist
Nelson steered his teams to 1,335 wins over his 31-year NBA coaching career. He also amassed 1,063 losses for a .557 win percentage.
Nelson, 71, is a three-time Coach of the Year recipient ('82-'83, '84-'85, & '91-'92) and was voted as one of the Top 10 coaches in NBA history during the 1996-'97 season.
Golden State Warriors
He coached the Warriors from 1988-1995, then again from 2006-2010, and was responsible for taking the Warriors to each of their last two playoff appearances -- in the 1994 season and then again in his second stint with Golden State in 2007.
Nelson was a five-time NBA champion as a player; his No. 19 was retired by the Boston Celtics.
The enshrinement for the 2012 inductees will be held in September at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.