Dave Nelson was a different kind of big man for Central Michigan University and the Muskegon Panthers back in the 1960s. In an era when tall players stayed inside with their backs to the basket, the 6-foot-3 Nelson was known for his agility, ball-handling and deadly outside shooting touch.
Nelson’s cage skills first started getting noticed when he was as a member of the Muskegon High School basketball team in the late 1950s. Under the guidance of Coach Ed Hager, Nelson earned all-state honors. He went on to CMU where he became one of the greatest players in the school’s history. He led the Chippewas in scoring in 1963 (18.0) and 1964 (15.4), and in rebounding from 1961 to 1963.

When he left CMU, Nelson held school records for points, rebounds, rebounding average, free-throw percentage, and field goals made.

But his hard court days did not end there. Nelson was a four-year star for the Muskegon Panthers and led the team to a North American Basketball League championship. He played with the Detroit Pistons during the 1968 exhibition season and served two years as player/coach of the Grand Rapids Tackers.
Nelson, who worked as the golf pro and manager at Lincoln Golf Club for many years, later coached at several area schools, including Holton and North Muskegon.