Former Warriors player and coach Al Attles passed away on Tuesday at the age of 87, the team has announced in a press release.
Drafted by the then-Philadelphia Warriors out of North Carolina A&T in 1960, Attles spent his 11-year career as an NBA player with the Warriors, who relocated to San Francisco in 1962.
The 6’0″ point guard appeared in a total of 711 games, averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 25.1 minutes per contest.
Attles, who was named an assistant coach in 1968, spent the final two years of his playing career as the Warriors’ head coach, a position he maintained well after his retirement as a player. He posted a 557-518 (.518) regular season record in that role, which he held until 1983, along with a 31-30 (.508) mark in the postseason.
Attles led the Warriors to an NBA championship in 1975, which was Golden State’s most recent title until the team began its dynastic run last decade by winning a championship in 2015. Attles still has the most regular season wins by a coach in franchise history, though Steve Kerr (519 career wins) could pass his total of 557 as soon as next season.
Following his stint as the Warriors’ head coach, Attles served as the team’s general manager for three seasons. He was an ambassador for the organization for many years after that, briefly returning in an official capacity as an assistant coach during the 1994/95 season.
Attles was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, having been selected by the Hall’s Contributor Committee.
“Alvin Attles did not just epitomize what it meant to be a Warrior—he was Mr. Warrior,” the team said in a statement on Wednesday. “His tenacious playing style earned him the affectionate nickname of ‘The Destroyer’ on the court, but it was his gentle soul, grace and humility off the court that served as a guiding light for the organization for more than six decades.
“As a player, coach, general manager, ambassador, and most of all, as a person, Alvin set the standards of professionalism and class by which we all strive to achieve. He leaves behind a profound legacy within the game of basketball and the Bay Area community, but especially as a family man and humanitarian. We mourn his loss alongside his wife, Wilhelmina, son Alvin, and all who knew and loved him.”
We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to Attles’ family and friends.
One night he was 2nd leading scorer with 17 points while the leading scorer had 100.
Imagine the two strongest men in the NBA on the same team. Respect.
Claude you have to say it right.
Attles went on to say that, “he and Wilt scored 117 points combined one game.”
He used Wilt’s big game as an opportunity to joke around with the reporters.
He was 8 of 8 on field goals that night. Said something like he picked a bad night to get hot.
Great human being who did so much for the community.
FOREVER WARRIOR RIP Coach
One of the NBAs all time greats. He was an incredible all around contributor as a player, coach, executive, community member, fan…. in every aspect of it he was a shining example of what it meant to continually contribute to the game, society and life in general. He lived an exemplary and extraordinary life.
darth , you nailed it.
Not many realize this. Al probably saved the Golden State Warriors. The 70’s was a rocky period for the NBA. The Warriors were in bad financial shape. They changed their name from San Francisco to Golden State so that they could move around the state and not be tied to any one city. They traded Thurmond for cash. He instituted an early version of small ball and team oriented play that led to a NBA ring…Now if he hadn’t made any of those draft day trades in 1980…
Yes it’s funny usually the team that winds up with the star would win the trade so you figure Joe Barry Carrol and Ricky Brown would be a fantastic takeaway. Robert Parish hadn’t established himself very much and Kevin McHale was a mystery. Celtics knew exactly what they were getting and gladly gave up the number one pick.
Essentially giving up a couple of good to get one great didn’t work out here as it usually would.
Sorry Gary but that trade was horrible the day they consummated it. Why do you think Boston did it if Carroll was supposed to be “great”? I felt Parrish was a stud. I was not happy.
@claude That day was even worse than people realize. They also drafted Jeff Ruland; he went on to be an All-Star. They already had Bernard King, a future Hall of Famer.
It just happened to work out that they also had some guy named Larry on the team.
Thurmond was trade to bulls for Ray, $100k and a first rounder. Warriors drafted Joe Bryant (father of Kobe) then sold his rights to 76ers. So they ended up getting the $100k, whatever they got for Bryant and Ray.
In 75 finals, Attles had to be restrained from going after Mike Riordan of the Bullets who tried for 4 games to get Rick Barry in a fight. Hoping to get Barry kicked out. Was kinda like Dellavadova and Draymond.
Basketball lifer ….. well done Mr Attles RIP.
Rip sir