In 2018, Don Nelson sat down with The New York Times. Nearing 80 years old, he was living in Maui and had been away from the NBA sidelines for almost two decades.
Retirement hadn’t slowed him down, though. On the contrary, he seemed to be enjoying life on his own terms. That was clear when the Hall of Famer discussed an unlikely new habit: smoking weed.
Nelson admitted he never imagined going that route. What made it even more surprising was who got him started — Willie Nelson and Woody Harrelson. Two icons from music and Hollywood. Two of the most outspoken cannabis advocates around.
A mellow second act
Nelson’s interview came just days after 4/20. The date celebrates cannabis culture. It was fitting. Marijuana had, after all, become a natural part of his daily life.
After decades on the sidelines, Maui gave him space and quiet. The rhythm suited him. He could explore things he had long put off. Cannabis was one of them.
The Boston Celtics legend didn’t just smoke. Nelson grew his own strain on a small farm. It overlooked the ocean. He called it “Nellie Kush,” a mix of O.G. and Hindu Kush. The attention he gave mirrored the precision that once defined his coaching style.
“You’ve got to treat it like a baby,” Nelson said. “You’ve got to water them. You’ve got to have music for them. You’ve got to bless them. It’s a whole process.”
There were even more benefits. Pot, he said, also eased old aches, reduced stress and helped with lingering pain from injuries. Alcohol no longer appealed. Cannabis offered relief without a hangover. Meanwhile, tending the plants gave the former three-time Coach of the Year a sense of calm and purpose.
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Cannabis culture
The path to “Nellie Kush” wasn’t a solo journey. Nelson credited Nelson and Harrelson for introducing him to cannabis in the first place. They first connected over poker games in Maui. Cards, conversation, and a shared curiosity about marijuana blended naturally.
“They got me started,” Nelson said. “Hanging out with Willie and Woody, it just felt normal. We’d sit, play, smoke a bowl, tell stories. I never thought I’d be a pot smoker, but it just became part of the rhythm.”
Interestingly, cannabis had once also been a bridge to his former players.
Stephen Jackson, a known enthusiast, remembered how open conversations with Nelson made the locker room feel less tense and more trusting. Under Nelson, marijuana wasn’t taboo. Jackson recalled getting the green light after a late-season drug test in Utah. Nelson high-fived him and Baron Davis, signaling he understood their world off the court.
“It was cool, the fact that he (Nelson) knows what’s going on off the court with his players, which was great, man. We enjoyed it. And that’s why we were a great team,” Jackson said in 2017.
Nelson’s relaxed approach reflected what was to come in the NBA. Marijuana policies have softened in recent years. The league — Adam Silver is the commissioner – no longer tests players for cannabis.
That shift mirrors trends nationwide.
In many U.S. states, pot use is no longer criminalized. Maui follows the same approach, and Nelson is clearly a fan of that.
“It’s more legal now than it’s ever been. So I’m enjoying that,” said the five-time NBA champion.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.