At the age of 87, Alvin “Al” Attles, a renowned player in the Golden State Warriors’ past, departed from this life. As a player, coach, general manager, and advocate for the Warriors for more than 60 years, Attles made a lasting impression on both the team and the larger basketball community.
Childhood and Playing Career
Al Attles began his basketball career at North Carolina A&T State University, where he was a successful player. He was born on November 7, 1936, in Newark, New Jersey. The Philadelphia Warriors picked him in the fifth round of the NBA Draft in 1960. Attles was drafted in the late round, but he made a reputation for himself as a strong guard noted for his muscular playmaking and relentless defense, earning the moniker “The Destroyer.”In addition, Attles played with the Warriors for his whole 11-season career, averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per contest. He played a significant role in Wilt Chamberlain’s record 1962 100-point performance, scoring 17 points on an ideal 8-for-8 shooting effort.
Change to Coaching
As his playing career came to an end, Attles made the switch to teaching and became one of the first Black head coaches in the NBA. During the 1969–70 season, he was a player–coach before deciding to devote himself entirely to coaching. Attles’ coaching career was further distinguished by his extraordinary accomplishment of winning the 1975 NBA title with the Warriors, which included a series of victories over the Washington Bullets in the Finals.
Under Attles’ direction, the Warriors developed into a powerful force in the NBA. For 13 seasons, he led the club to six postseason berths and accumulated a franchise-high 557 victories as its coach. His aptitude for strategy and capacity to promote teamwork were essential to the Warriors’ success at this time.
Executive Positions and Heritage
Attles was employed by the Warriors in a number of management capacities after leaving as head coach in 1983, including vice president and general manager. But his impact went beyond the court, as he rose to prominence in the Bay Area society and was renowned for his elegance, modesty, and commitment to helping others.For his services to basketball, Attles was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. In honor of Attles’ continuing history with the team, the Warriors retired his No. 16 jersey Last Years and DyingAs a community ambassador, Attles continued to be actively connected with the Warriors in his latter years, attending events and games and serving as an inspiration to upcoming fans and players. In the company of his family, he died quietly at his San Francisco Bay Area home.
Al Attles was a real pioneer and icon of the game, and his passing is mourned by the Warriors and the larger basketball world. For many years to come, his accomplishments as a player, coach, executive, and humanitarian will be honored and cherished.
