Jason Terry Says Don Nelson Restored His Love for Basketball After Five Losing Seasons

Former NBA star Jason Terry has opened up about the profound impact Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson had on his career, saying Nelson helped restore his love and joy for basketball after years of losing with the Atlanta Hawks.

Terry reflected on Nelson’s influence following the coach’s recent death at age 86. Nelson coached Terry after he arrived in Dallas in 2004, and their relationship became an important turning point in the guard’s career.

Five Losing Seasons Took a Toll

Terry was selected 10th overall by Atlanta in the 1999 NBA Draft and spent his first five seasons with the Hawks. During that period, Atlanta struggled to find consistent success, and the repeated losing began to affect Terry’s relationship with the game.

Terry recalled that he had started to lose his love for basketball because of the losing before his move to Dallas gave him a fresh start.

That changed when he joined the Mavericks and began working with Nelson.

Nelson Brought Back the Joy

Terry said Nelson’s influence went far beyond basketball strategy.

According to Terry, Nelson’s coaching style and, perhaps more importantly, his interactions with players away from the court helped him rediscover the enjoyment he had once found in the sport.

The move to Dallas also placed Terry in a winning environment alongside players such as Dirk Nowitzki, helping him become an important part of the Mavericks’ rise.

A Career Transformation in Dallas

Terry’s career took off after joining Dallas. He eventually won the 2009 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and became a key contributor to the Mavericks’ historic 2011 NBA championship.

Although Nelson left the Mavericks during Terry’s first season, his initial influence had already helped put Terry on a different trajectory.

The guard went on to spend nearly a decade in Dallas and became one of the most popular players in franchise history.

Nelson’s Legacy Went Beyond Wins

Nelson is remembered as one of the NBA’s great innovators. He coached for 31 seasons and finished with 1,335 regular-season victories, while becoming closely associated with small-ball lineups, spacing and matchup-driven basketball.

For Terry, however, Nelson’s most important contribution was personal.

The coach helped him rediscover the excitement of competing after years in an environment where winning had been difficult to come by.

Terry Is Now Passing It On

Terry has since moved into coaching himself and is currently an assistant with the Utah Jazz, where he works with younger players and helps them develop their understanding of the game.

His experience with Nelson gives him a valuable perspective on how much a coach can influence a player’s confidence and relationship with basketball.

The Bottom Line

Jason Terry’s tribute to Don Nelson highlights an often-overlooked part of coaching: the ability to make a player fall in love with the game again.

For Terry, Nelson did exactly that. After five difficult seasons in Atlanta, his arrival in Dallas marked a turning point that ultimately led to individual success, an NBA championship and a lasting legacy with the Mavericks.