For three years, Don Nelson was basically a nobody, muddling through forgettable seasons with the Chicago Zephyrs and the Los Angeles Lakers. He was averaging less than five points per game while shooting in low-40 percent range.
Then he signed with Boston in 1965 and ultimately became a legend as one of the game’s greatest sixth men.
The one thing that always stood out about Nelson was his jump shot. Nelson’s soft touch was honed on an Iowa farm out of necessity. Missed shots would often find their way into piles of chicken waste, so he made sure to get arc on his shot and not miss long.