logo
Ex-Mavs coach Don Nelson sides with Luka Dončić, wears his shoes in ‘protest' while accepting lifetime achievement award

Ex-Mavs coach Don Nelson sides with Luka Dončić, wears his shoes in ‘protest' while accepting lifetime achievement award

Yahoo2 days ago

Former Dallas Mavericks head coach Don Nelson made a rare trip off the island this weekend to accept the Chuck Daily Lifetime Achievement Award at the NBA Finals.
Before Game 2 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, however, Nelson made sure to take sides in the stunning Luka Dončić trade from earlier this season.
'I want everybody to know I'm wearing Luka's shoes, his new shoes from Nike … and I'm wearing them in protest for the trade from Dallas,' Nelson said. 'I think it was a tremendous mistake by the Dallas franchise to trade him. I want everybody to know that.'
The Mavericks dealt Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the trade deadline earlier this season in what was one of the most shocking trades in league history. It prompted plenty of backlash from Mavericks fans, too, who repeatedly and loudly called for the ouster of general manager Nico Harrison. Dallas then struggled the rest of the way and finished in 10th in the Western Conference standings.
Advertisement
The Mavericks, who landed Anthony Davis in the deal, have since won the NBA Draft lottery. They will presumably take former Duke star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick later this month.
Nelson, a Hall of Famer and one of the best coaches in league history, led the Mavericks from 1997-2005. He also had long runs leading both the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors before retiring after the 2010 campaign. Nelson, who also won five titles during his time in the league as a player, was the NBA's all-time winningest coach when he retired. Only former San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has won more.
Nelson has been living in Hawaii and largely staying away from the game ever since. His trip to Oklahoma City this weekend was the first time he's left Hawaii in seven years.
"History has already reflected Don Nelson's staggering contributions as a cutting-edge innovator and visionary of the NBA game," Pacers coach and NBCA president Rick Carlisle said of Nelson, via ESPN . "Back in the '80s and '90s, he made teams adjust to historic pace, liberal 3-point shooting, inverted offense and disruptive defensive schemes. All this while establishing himself as one of the most compelling personalities in all of professional sports."
While the award is well-deserved, Nelson couldn't help but share his thoughts on one of his former teams' decisions. With the way that the Mavericks fanbase has reacted in the months since, even with them landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, it'd be hard to find many that disagree with him.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Angel Reese Had No Words for Chicago Sky Announcement on Tuesday
Angel Reese Had No Words for Chicago Sky Announcement on Tuesday

Yahoo

time35 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Angel Reese Had No Words for Chicago Sky Announcement on Tuesday

Angel Reese Had No Words for Chicago Sky Announcement on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky continue to work through growing pains, having suffered a blowout loss to the New York Liberty. Advertisement On Tuesday, the Liberty defeated the Sky 85-66. Chicago suffered its second straight loss, having fallen to the Indiana Fever before this matchup. Despite the loss for the Sky, Reese etched her name in the WNBA history books. The WNBA announced that Reese has become the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 30 career double-doubles. Chicago's young star achieved the feat in 42 games. "More history for the sophomore," said the Chicago Sky and the official social media account of the WNBA in a collaborated post. Reese then took to social media, sharing her immediate reaction to the news. The Sky forward posted the announcement from the WNBA and the Chicago Sky, attaching a praying emoji, seemingly grateful for the accomplishment. Angel Reese, Instagram Angel Reese, Instagram Angel Reese finished the game against the New York Liberty with 17 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Advertisement As the WNBA posted on social media, Reese passed the following players for her historic feat: 42 - Angel Reese 47 - Tina Charles 56 - Candace Parker 56 - Natalie Williams 58 - Lisa Leslie Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5).Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images Throughout the season, Angel Reese posted 9.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Reese leads the Sky in average rebounds and continues to take the necessary steps to improve her scoring ability. After losing to the New York Liberty, Reese and the Chicago Sky will prepare for another matchup, looking to crack the two-game losing streak. Related: Chicago Sky Coach Sends Strong Angel Reese Message After Loss to Indiana Fever Related: Caitlin Clark Turns Heads with Major Announcement on Monday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.

Chicago Sky Coach Issues Blunt Response to Blowout Loss on Tuesday
Chicago Sky Coach Issues Blunt Response to Blowout Loss on Tuesday

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Chicago Sky Coach Issues Blunt Response to Blowout Loss on Tuesday

Chicago Sky Coach Issues Blunt Response to Blowout Loss on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Sky continue to struggle early this season, and there don't seem to be a lot of answers to those struggles, at least right now. Advertisement On Tuesday, they fell to the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty by a final score of 85-66. Angel Reese had one of her better games as a pro thus far with 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 11 rebounds, but it wasn't nearly enough. The Sky now hold a 2-6 record, which is the third-worst record in the league. Head coach Tyler Marsh made it clear that their struggles are of their own doing. "We can't continue to beat ourselves," he said. "We gotta continue to give ourselves opportunities. There have been several games this season where we've had more offensive possessions than the opposing team, but we've hurt ourselves with turnovers and a lot of that is our own doing." Chicago won the WNBA championship as recently as 2021, but it went 13-27 last season. It added two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins and five-time All-Star guard Courtney Vandersloot this offseason, and it took Hailey Van Lith with the No. 11 pick in April's draft, but that handiwork hasn't paid off, at least not yet. Advertisement The team ranks second-to-last in scoring at 77.4 points per game, as well as second-to-last in both offensive rating and defensive rating. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5).Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Reese has struggled with her shooting ever since entering the WNBA last season, and her development as an offensive threat seems critical to the Sky's development as a competitive team. At the same time, her rebounding has been outstanding. She shot 49.8% from the field and averaged 18.6 points a game during her four-year college career, and in 2023, she led LSU to a women's NCAA championship over Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes. Related: Lexie Hull Reveals Thrilling Experience With Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham Amid Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.

Caitlin Clark planning to pay Aliyah Boston's technical foul fine
Caitlin Clark planning to pay Aliyah Boston's technical foul fine

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Caitlin Clark planning to pay Aliyah Boston's technical foul fine

Caitlin Clark is prepared to pony up for her teammate, forward Aliyah Boston. In the season opener for both, tempers flared after Clark fouled Angel Reese before the second-year Chicago Sky forward could attempt a layup midway through the third quarter. Reese sprang to her feet, looking to confront Clark after the foul. Advertisement As Clark turned to walk the other direction, it was Boston that stepped in between Clark and Reese to prevent the situation from further escalating. Upon review, Clark's foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1. Meanwhile, both Boston and Reese were assessed technical fouls. In the WNBA, a player's first three technical fouls each carry a $200 fine. A player's fourth through sixth technical fouls each carry a $400 fine. If a player receives a seventh technical fine, it's an $800 fine and a one-game suspension. Afterwards, Boston expressed her shock in learning that she had received a technical foul during the sequence. Advertisement "I got the tech? Oh no," Boston said incredulously in her postgame press conference. Clark jumped in to clarify her decision to foul Reese. "Let's not make it anything that it's not. It was just a good play on the basketball. I'm not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it and that's up to their discretion after watching the initial whatever happened during the play and then whatever happened after. "We watch a lot of basketball. It's a take foul to put them at the free throw line. I'd rather (not) give up two points. I've watched a lot of basketball in my life. That's exactly what it was. I wasn't trying to do anything malicious. That's not the type of player I am, so, yes, wasn't anything like that. And I went for the ball and that's clear as day in the replay. You can watch it. It shouldn't have been upgraded, but, again, that's up to the ref's discretion, but I appreciate AB having my back. I guess I don't even know what she did. I didn't see that," Clark said. Advertisement Jokingly, Boston asked Clark for her assistance in handling the fine. "Can I get half?" Boston asked. "I got it for you. No worries," Clark said. The Indiana Fever opened their season with a 93-58 blowout win over the Chicago Sky. Clark scored 20 points and notched her third career WNBA triple-double after tallying 10 rebounds and 10 assists as well. The 6-foot guard knocked down four 3-pointers in front of the 17,274 fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Caitlin Clark planning to pay Aliyah Boston's technical foul fine

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store