Alvin “Al” Attles, a former NBA player and coach, waves to the audience on June 19, 2015, during the Golden State Warriors victory parade in Oakland. Attles, who led the Warriors to their first NBA championship in 1975 and spent more than 60 years with the organization, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 87. (CC BY, CLC/Flickr)
Alvin Attles, a legendary coach and player for the Golden State Warriors, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 87, the organization said.
At his East Bay home, Attles passed away surrounded by relatives. His cause of death remained undisclosed.According to a statement on the team’s website, Attles worked with the Philadelphia Warriors for more than 60 years, having been selected by them in the fifth round of the 1960 draft. He had many positions with the organization, including coach, general manager, vice president, and consultant.
“He was a very close friend, guide, and inspiration, and someone I greatly respected and endeavored to imitate,” stated Chris Mullin, a 12-year Warriors player who was selected with the seventh overall choice by Attles in 1985.He was a real champion on and off the court, setting the bar for all of us to follow in terms of honesty and humility. Mullin declared, “There will never be another Alvin Attles.”According to team officials, Attles played with the Warriors for 11 years, averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 711 regular-season games. The team retired his number 16.
Throughout the course of his 13-year coaching tenure, he amassed the most regular season victories (557) in franchise history. In 1975, he guided the Warriors to their first NBA title as a Bay Area team, defeating the Washington Bullets in the Finals and becoming the second Black head coach to lift the trophy.Alvin Attles was Mr. Warrior, not merely the personification of what it meant to be a warrior. In the Bay Area community and the game of basketball, he leaves behind a lasting legacy, particularly as a family man and humanitarian, club executives said in a statement on Wednesday. “All of us who knew and loved him, including his son Alvin and wife Wilhelmina, mourn his loss.”
Attles, also known as “The Destroyer,” had Hall of Famers Rick Barry, Nate Thurmond, and Wilt Chamberlain as teammates at different points in time.
2019 saw the induction of New Jersey native Attles into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“I am grieving the death of my buddy and mentor today. Al and I shared a room during my first season in the league. Barry remarked, “He gave me invaluable professional development skills that I could not have gained on the court. “Later, he demonstrated leadership, unity, and a sharp strategic ability as our coach during the 1975 championship season, which allowed us to succeed at the highest level.”
