Former Celtic now lives in Hawaii, grows his own weed, and hosts celebrity poker game

[DOM-Ganador]

Don Nelson spent nearly five decades in the NBA. As a player, Nelson won five championships in 11 seasons with the Celtics in the 1960s and 1970s and had his number retired to the rafters of the old Boston Garden in 1978. As a coach, he set the league’s all-time record for regular-season wins and even popularized his own style of offense, Nellie Ball.Now, it seems that the iconoclastic NBA legend is making the most of his retirement.The New York Times recently caught up with Nelson in Hawaii, where he now lives. Since retiring in 2010, the 77-year-old Hall of Famer has grown a beard, reconnected with a long-lost daughter out of wedlock, and begun hosting high-stakes poker games with Willie Nelson, Woody Harrelson, and Owen Wilson at his home in Maui. Oh, and he also grows his own name-brand marijuana.

OK, I know all the anti drug haters on SBR are going to chirp on and call him a loser.
Fukk that. 77 Y.O., hanging with Woody and Wille, playing Hold em, chillin` in Hawaii.
If I am still alive @ 77, I could hang with that life.

[mpaschal34]

Not a marijuana user (not for me), but the guy is living the dream. Some day I hope to live a similar retirement. Just replace the weed with some good bourbon.

[DOM-Ganador]

Not a marijuana user (not for me), but the guy is living the dream. Some day I hope to live a similar retirement. Just replace the weed with some good bourbon.

Good whiskey and good beer for me as well. But @ 77, the bones might be aching and a little weed instead of pills might be a solid call.

[grease lightnin]

Pretty cool.

[Chi_archie]

love all of that

[Grits n' Gravy]

Not a marijuana user (not for me), but the guy is living the dream. Some day I hope to live a similar retirement. Just replace the weed with some good bourbon.

He is certainly is enjoying his post nba life. Somewhat ahead of his time as a coach but still a legend. Cool that he plays poker with Willie Nelson and Woody H.

[manny24]

Donny bleeds green and sticky

[19th Hole]

Sounds like Nelly has come a long way from the Iowa cornfields
to the Hawaiian NellieKush-fields.

~~~~~~~

Don Nelson was inspired to grow his own pot called ‘Nellie Kush’ after playing poker with Willie Nelson


The former coach has found a new passion in retirement.

By Ricky O'Donnell May 2, 2018, 12:09pm EDT



Don Nelson has retired from coaching in the NBA to lead a life of luxury. These days, Nelson spends his time living in Hawaii, where he regularly plays poker with celebrities Willie Nelson, Owen Wilson, and Woody Harrelson, and grows his own marijuana.
That’s the biggest takeaway from Nelson’s sit down with the New York Times, which also looks back at his career as a player and a coach. Nelson has a medical card for his pot use to help deal with lingering pain following a 14-year NBA playing career. He grows it, and doesn’t sell it.
In a shocking twist, hanging out with Willie Nelson got him to try the drug.

Have you been into cannabis for long?
No, I didn’t smoke until maybe three or four years ago. I never smoked when I was coaching. I just started. Willie (Nelson) got me smoking.
He would do it.
He would do it. I didn’t think I’d ever be a pot smoker, but hanging out with Willie and Woody and guys like that, you know, everybody smokes in those games. It just became kind of natural. Usually you’re smoking with your friends, sitting around, telling stories, you smoke a bowl. It’s not that I smoke all the time. I usually just smoke at night during poker games. Like Willie told me, it’s hard to be depressed when you’re smoking pot.

Nelson calls his homegrown strain Nellie Kush. Now you know.

[shari91]

Anyone who's friends with Willie is a friend of mine. I'm not a smoker but good on him for living life as he wants to and reconnecting with his daughter

[mikejamm]

Grow'in his own ganja, smok'in, drink'in and play'in poker with Willie and Woody Don Nelson.... Liv'in the dream.

[mpaschal34]

I heard he recently signed up for SBR poker too. His ID is Buzzkill.

[funnyb25]