Never change, Nellie.
Don Nelson is an unabashed weed lover. At least that’s been the case ever since he moved to Maui, Hawaii, where he grows his own marijuana, after spending 45 seasons coaching and playing in the NBA.
Nelson and two of his star players from the “We Believe” team, Jason Richardson and Stephen Jackson, returned to Oakland Thursday night, as Oracle Arena commemorates the beloved squad. About 30 minutes before Golden State tipped off with the visiting Sacramento Kings, the three Warriors legends held a press conference.
One reporter asked what the three have been up to in their post-basketball lives.
Nelson, long hair nestled in a man bun, spoke first — as if he had a joke stored up that he couldn’t wait to let out.
“I’ve been smoking some pot,” Nelson said.
The room erupted in laughter, as Jackson — who has invested in the cannabis industry and plans to drop a weed-themed podcast next month — raised his hands in the air.
“It’s legal now,” Richardson chimed in.
Once the laughter settled, Nelson continued on.
“But I never smoked when I played or coached, so it’s new to me,” Nelson said. “I am having a pretty good time. It’s more legal now than it has ever been, so I am enjoying that. I am personally involved in the rental business. I invested my fortune in Maui. We rent out the structures we built and bought over the years, and we make a good living.”