The Golden State Warriors announced on Wednesday that their coach, Al Attles, passed away on Tuesday, March 31, 1975, in his East Bay home in California, accompanied by his family. Attles is in the Basketball Hall of Fame. His age was 87.
“Alvin Attles wasn’t just the perfect example of a warrior; he was the embodiment of the word.” The Warriors stated in a statement that although he was known affectionately as “The Destroyer” on the court for his relentless play, it was his kind heart, elegance, and humility off the court that guided the team for more than 60 years.
“Alvin established the bar for professionalism and grace that all of us try to meet as players, coaches, general managers, ambassadors, and most importantly, as people. Especially as a family man and humanitarian, he leaves a lasting impact in the Bay Area community and the game of basketball.
The Warriors released a statement stating that Attles had spent the longest time with a single team in NBA history.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stated, “Most of the great organizations with a lot of history have one player who everybody associates with that franchise.” For us, Al Attles is that person. He represents our team to supporters of the Warriors for many generations. We are fortunate to have him.
Attles, a product of North Carolina A&T State, was chosen by the Philadelphia Warriors in the fifth round of the 1960 draft.
Over 11 seasons, he played in 711 regular season games for the San Francisco Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.
On March 2, 1962, the guard participated in Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. He scored 17 points in the 169-147 victory over the New York Knicks at Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Over his more than thirteen seasons as head coach, Attles was 557–518 and took the team to the postseason six times. He led the surprise (48-34) Warriors to the NBA championship in 1975 by defeating the (60-22) Washington Bullets.
As an executive, Attles attracted future Hall of Famers forward Chris Mullin, center Robert Parish, and head coach George Karl to the franchise.
It’s a challenging day for me. Mullin released a statement saying, “Alvin Attles not only drafted me in 1985 and brought me to the Bay Area, but he also guided me through my journey as a player and a young man, both in good and difficult times. Alvin Attles had a huge, positive influence on me and my career.”
“He was truly a champion both on and off the court, setting the standard for all of us in terms of integrity and humility.” Alvin Attles will never be replicated.
Six Warriors have had their jersey numbers retired, including Attles. Rick Barry, Chamberlain, Tom Meschery, Mullin, and Nate Thurmond are the others.
“I am grieving the loss of my buddy and mentor today. Al and I shared a room during my first season in the league. In a statement, Barry added, “He gave me insightful professional advice that I couldn’t have learnt 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.”
Given to people who have “contributed greatly to the game of basketball,” the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon him by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
For his “gigantic and wide-ranging contributions to the NBA game and coaching profession,” he was named co-recipient of the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award three years later.
2019 saw the induction of Attles into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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