Alvin Austin Attles Jr. (November 7, 1936 – August 20, 2024) was an American professional basketball player, coach, and executive who spent his entire career with the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA). Nicknamed the "Destroyer", he played the
point guard
The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the Basketball positions, five positions in a regulation basketball game.
A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position and is usually the shortest player ...
position.
Attles was selected by the Warriors in the
1960 NBA draft
The 1960 NBA draft was the 14th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 11, 1960, before the 1960–61 season. In this draft, eight NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball pla ...
and played 11 seasons with the team, including moving with the team from
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
to the
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...
in 1962. He took over as
player-coach
A player–coach (also playing coach, captain–coach, or player–manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. Player–coaches may be head coaches or assistant coaches, and they may make chang ...
during the
1970–71 season, his last as a player. He remained the team's
head coach
A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional responsible for training and developing athletes within a sports team. This role often has a higher public profile and salary than other coaching positions. In some sports, such as associat ...
after his playing retirement and led the Warriors to an NBA championship in
1975
It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe.
Events
January
* January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
. He stepped down as head coach in 1983 and then served as
general manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
for the Warriors from 1983 to 1986. Attles was employed by the Warriors for the rest of his life, serving in roles including team ambassador and community relations representative.
Attles's number 16 was
retired by the Warriors in 1977. He was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...
in 2019.
Biography
Early life
Attles was born in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...
, to Alvin Sr. and Geraldine Attles.
His father worked as a
railway porter.
Attles was a graduate of
Weequahic High School in Newark. He held a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and History from
North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (also known as North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina A&T, N.C. A&T, or simply A&T) is a public university, public, Historically black colleges and universities, historicall ...
. Before the Warriors drafted him, he intended to return to Newark and coach at his local junior high school. He initially declined before accepting and going to training camp.
Playing career
Attles was drafted by the then-Philadelphia Warriors in
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events January
* Janu ...
as a fifth-round selection.
On March 2, 1962, he was the team's second-leading scorer with 17 points, shooting a perfect 8-of-8 on
field goals
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. Consequently, a ...
and 1-of-1 on
free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line (informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), a line situated at the end of the restricted area. Free throws ...
s, on
the night Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points.
[ Attles moved with the team to the ]Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. The Association of Bay Area Governments ...
at the end of the 1962 season, playing until 1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
.[ Attles was known as "the Destroyer" due to his defensive specialities along with once punching a player in the jaw. He was a reserve on the 1964 Warriors team (with ]Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman Chamberlain ( ; August21, 1936 – October12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player. Standing tall, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 seasons. He was enshrin ...
and Guy Rodgers
Guy William Rodgers (September 1, 1935 – February 19, 2001) was an American professional basketball player born in Philadelphia. He spent twelve years (1958–1970) in the NBA, and was one of the league's best playmakers in the early to mid-196 ...
) that reached the NBA Finals and lost to the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
, four games to one. Attles also played on the Warriors' 1967 team that lost to Chamberlain's 68–13 Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
in a six-game championship series.[
]
Coaching career
Attles was named player-coach of the Warriors midway through the 1969–70 season, succeeding George Lee. He was one of the first African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
head coaches in the NBA.[ He retired as a player after the 1970–71 season,][ and stayed on as head coach, guiding the ]Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III (born March 28, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player who starred at the NCAA, American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) levels. Barry ranks among the m ...
-led Warriors to the 1975 NBA championship over the heavily favored Washington Bullets
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...
,[ making him the second African-American coach to win an NBA title (the first was ]Bill Russell
William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played Center (basketball), center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was t ...
). Attles's team tried to repeat the following season, but they lost to the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
in the conference finals in seven games.[ The team would make the playoffs only once more for the remainder of his tenure as coach. Attles tore his ]Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcane ...
during the 1979–80 season and missed 21 games which were covered by his assistant Johnny Bach.
Attles coached the Warriors until 1983,[ compiling a 557–518 regular-season record (588–548 including playoffs) with six playoff appearances in 14 seasons. From 1983 to 1986, Attles worked as the Warriors' general manager.] He is the longest-serving coach in Warriors history,[ and also had the most wins in franchise history until being surpassed by ]Steve Kerr
Stephen Douglas Kerr (born September 27, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the United States men's national ...
in March 2025.[
Attles returned as an assistant coach for the Warriors for the 1994–95 season.
]
Death
Attles died at his East Bay, California, home on August 20, 2024, at the age of 87. He had spent weeks in hospice care
Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life b ...
.
Honors
In 2014, Attles was the recipient of the
John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...
to an individual who has contributed significantly to the sport of basketball; the award is the Basketball Hall of Fame's highest honor besides enshrinement.[
Attles's number 16 is retired by the Warriors.][ He also served as a team ambassador. On February 7, 2015, Attles's number 22 was retired by North Carolina A&T, the first ever retired by the team. He was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.][
Attles was on the Warriors' payroll in one capacity or another for over 60 years, the longest stint of any person for one team.] He was one of the last living members of the franchise who dates to their time in Philadelphia. Attles was working as a community relations representative at the time of his death.
In 2017, Attles was named a recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.
On April 6, 2019, Attles was chosen as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...
.
Personal life
Attles married his wife, Wilhelmina Rice, in 1964; his Warriors teammate, Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman Chamberlain ( ; August21, 1936 – October12, 1999) was an American professional basketball player. Standing tall, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 seasons. He was enshrin ...
, was his best man
A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony. Usually, the groom selects close friends and relatives to serve as groomsmen, and it is considered an honor to be selected. From his groomsmen, the groom usuall ...
. The couple have two children, Alvin III and Ericka. He has four grandchildren and one great-grandson. One of his grandsons, Isaiah Attles, played college basketball
College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
for the Alcorn State Braves
The Alcorn State Braves and Lady Braves represent Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi in intercollegiate athletics. They field 15 teams including men's and women's basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, and track and field; women's- ...
. Attles was friends with Bill Cosby
William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...
and Les McCann
Leslie Coleman McCann (September 23, 1935 – December 29, 2023) was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. He is known for his innovations in soul jazz and his Swiss Movement, 1969 recording of the protest song "Compared to What". His music ha ...
. Attles was Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
.
In 1983, Attles received a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco (USF) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit university in San Francisco, California, United States. Founded in 1855, it has nearly 9,000 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees ...
.
Career statistics
Playing
NBA
Source
=Regular season
=
=Playoffs
=
Head coaching record
Source
, -
, align="left" , San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, align="left" ,
, 30, , 8, , 22, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Western , , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, -
, align="left" , San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 41, , 41, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Pacific, , 5, , 1, , 4, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conf. Semifinals
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 51, , 31, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Pacific, , 5, , 1, , 4, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conf. Semifinals
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 47, , 35, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Pacific, , 11, , 5, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conf. Finals
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 44, , 38, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 2nd in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, - ! style="background:#FDE910;"
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 48, , 34, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 17, , 12, , 5, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Won NBA Championship
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern and Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league ...
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 59, , 23, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 1st in Pacific, , 13, , 7, , 6, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conf. Finals
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 46, , 36, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Pacific, , 10, , 5, , 5, ,
, style="text-align:center;", Lost in Conf. Semifinals
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 43, , 39, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 38, , 44, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 61, , 18, , 43, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 6th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 39, , 43, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 45, , 37, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, -
, align="left" , Golden State
, align="left" ,
, 82, , 30, , 52, , , , , style="text-align:center;", 5th in Pacific, , —, , —, , —, , —
, style="text-align:center;", —
, -
, -class="sortbottom"
, align="left" , Career
, , , 1,075, , 557, , 518, , , , , , 61, , 31, , 30, , , ,
References
External links
Basketball-Reference.com: Al Attles (as coach)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Attles, Al
1936 births
2024 deaths
20th-century African-American sportsmen
20th-century Roman Catholics
21st-century African-American sportsmen
21st-century Roman Catholics
African-American basketball coaches
African-American Catholics
American Roman Catholics
African-American sports executives and administrators
American men's basketball coaches
American men's basketball players
American sports executives and administrators
Basketball coaches from New Jersey
Basketball player-coaches
Basketball players from Newark, New Jersey
Golden State Warriors head coaches
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
NBA championship–winning head coaches
NBA players with retired numbers
North Carolina A&T Aggies men's basketball players
Philadelphia Warriors draft picks
Philadelphia Warriors players
Point guards
San Francisco Warriors head coaches
San Francisco Warriors players
Weequahic High School alumni
University of San Francisco alumni