Mitch Richmond didn’t know Don Nelson played in the NBA (Ball Don’t Lie)

In discussing how amazing Don Nelson's life on Maui sounds last week, I submitted for the approval of the Basketball Internet Midnight Society the contention that one of the best things about the run-up to the annual Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony is the avalanche of great stories that come out in all the pre-enshrinement coverage of the year's inductees. I respectfully offer supporting evidence in the form of this fantastic note from a Q&A with Nellie published Thursday, in which ESPN.com's Marc Stein asks whether Nelson feels his 14-year career as an NBA player with the Chicago Zephyrs, Los Angeles Lakers and (most notably) Boston Celtics gets short shrift due to all he accomplished as a head coach: Q: You were part of five championship teams in Boston as a player and no one ever talks much about that. Maybe they'll show an occasional replay of your shot against the Lakers [in Game 7 of the 1969 Finals that bounced high off the rim and in], but that's it. How much, deep down, does that bug you? A: I was just a so-so player anyway. I was lucky enough to hang around with a great team for a long time. What I brought to the party was in a reserve role. I was just...