- Former NBA head coach Don Nelson has been living in Maui for over a decade
- Wildfires earlier this month caused the whole of Lahaina in Maui to go up in flames
- Nelson has been helping those in need by leasing his properties for free
Over the 8th and 9th of August, Lahaina in Maui, Hawaii, was devastated by wildfires. More than 100 people have died, while over 11,000 have had to evacuate, and over 2,000 buildings have been destroyed. In this dire situation, former NBA head coach Don Nelson has decided to lease his properties for free to those in need.
“We’re doing the best we can, but we only have space for about 24 people,” Nelson said. “There are thousands of people homeless right now. It’s overwhelming.”
Nelson had moved to Maui in 2011 after his final head coaching stint with the Golden State Warriors. Hawaii used to be his go-to destination during the offseason, even going back to his playing days, and he purchased a home in Kihei in 1995, where he currently resides. It is located 24 miles south of Lahaina
Since moving in 2011, the 83-year-old purchased many short-term rentals in Maui, and those have been the ones he has been leasing for free. Fortunately, none of Nelson’s properties were damaged by the wildfires.
His family members have also been hard at work to help in whatever way they can, and we’re sure the people would be very grateful. Nelson knows there is a lot more that needs to be done, and he’s sticking around for it.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Nelson said. “This is home. Right now, it needs all our help.”
Nelson had been associated with the NBA for nearly 50 years before leaving for Maui. He was drafted by the Chicago Zephyrs in 1962 and would end up playing 14 seasons in the league. The bulk of them would come with the Boston Celtics, and he won five championships with the franchise.
Nelson retired in 1976 and would then go on to be a head coach in the league for a total of 31 seasons. He had two separate stints with the Warriors to go with spells with the Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks. He retired with an incredible record of 1,335-1,063. It is the second-most wins ever for a head coach, with Gregg Popovich only surpassing Nelson last year for the most coaching wins in NBA history.
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