01-07-2022, 10:50 PM
https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1479...57547?s=20
Don and Donnie Nelson. The general manager who acquired Nowitzki’s draft rights on the night of June 24, 1998, and Don’s assistant GM/son who was insistently bullish about raw 19-year-old Nowitzki’s NBA potential.
“I wasn’t invited,” Don Nelson said when reached Friday at his home in Maui. “I really wanted to be there, but I didn’t feel that I should just show up without an invitation, so I didn’t.”
Don Nelson said he isn’t certain whether Donnie Nelson received an invitation. The elder Nelson said that he wasn’t able to catch the ceremony on TV, but he did read about the ceremony.
Nowitzki and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban thanked the Nelsons during their speeches, but given the elder and younger Nelsons’ roles in Nowitzki’s arrival and early career development, their physical absences were conspicuous.
“I read about what [Nowitzki] said,” Nelson said. “That was nice. I don’t think Dirk had any decisions about who was there. I think that’s all an organization thing. Mark Cuban’s in charge of that, I’m sure.”
When asked Friday whether the Nelsons were invited to the ceremony, Cuban said: “I was told Donnie was going to show up, but I haven’t talked to either of them so I have no idea what the deal was.”
If Cuban and the Nelsons aren’t on speaking terms, it would not be particularly surprising. After 24 years with the organization, the last 19 as president of basketball operations, Donnie Nelson was forced out by Cuban last June 16, days after the Mavericks failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the 10th straight season.
Donnie Nelson has not commented publicly since his Mavericks departure, and he did not response to a message seeking comment for this story.
Don and Donnie Nelson. The general manager who acquired Nowitzki’s draft rights on the night of June 24, 1998, and Don’s assistant GM/son who was insistently bullish about raw 19-year-old Nowitzki’s NBA potential.
“I wasn’t invited,” Don Nelson said when reached Friday at his home in Maui. “I really wanted to be there, but I didn’t feel that I should just show up without an invitation, so I didn’t.”
Don Nelson said he isn’t certain whether Donnie Nelson received an invitation. The elder Nelson said that he wasn’t able to catch the ceremony on TV, but he did read about the ceremony.
Nowitzki and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban thanked the Nelsons during their speeches, but given the elder and younger Nelsons’ roles in Nowitzki’s arrival and early career development, their physical absences were conspicuous.
“I read about what [Nowitzki] said,” Nelson said. “That was nice. I don’t think Dirk had any decisions about who was there. I think that’s all an organization thing. Mark Cuban’s in charge of that, I’m sure.”
When asked Friday whether the Nelsons were invited to the ceremony, Cuban said: “I was told Donnie was going to show up, but I haven’t talked to either of them so I have no idea what the deal was.”
If Cuban and the Nelsons aren’t on speaking terms, it would not be particularly surprising. After 24 years with the organization, the last 19 as president of basketball operations, Donnie Nelson was forced out by Cuban last June 16, days after the Mavericks failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the 10th straight season.
Donnie Nelson has not commented publicly since his Mavericks departure, and he did not response to a message seeking comment for this story.