Al Attles

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Al Attles, born Alvin Austin Attles Jr. on November 7, 1936, in Newark, New Jersey, was an American basketball player, coach, and executive who spent his entire NBA career with the Golden State Warriors. A tough, defensive-minded point guard nicknamed the “Destroyer,” he played for the franchise from 1960 to 1971 and helped move the team from Philadelphia to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962. He passed away on August 20, 2024, in Oakland, California, at age 87.

Selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1960 NBA draft, Attles played 11 seasons as a guard, scoring 6,328 points with 2,463 rebounds and 2,483 assists. He became a lasting figure for the franchise, and the Warriors retired his No. 16 in 1977.

During the 1970–71 season, Attles became a player-coach and then served as head coach after retiring as a player. In 1975, he led the Warriors to their first NBA championship, making him the second African-American coach to win an NBA title. He coached the team through 1983, compiling a regular-season record of 557–518 (588–548 including playoffs) and guiding the Warriors to six playoff appearances in 14 seasons.

After coaching, Attles served as the Warriors’ general manager from 1983 to 1986 and continued in various roles, including team ambassador and community relations. He spent more than 60 years with the Warriors, the longest tenure for anyone with one team.

Attles’ legacy is honored with several hall-of-fame recognitions. His No. 16 is retired by the Warriors, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. North Carolina A&T retired his No. 22 in 2015. He was also inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and received multiple lifetime achievement awards.

As a person, Attles grew up in Newark, attending Weequahic High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and History from North Carolina A&T State University and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of San Francisco in 1983. He was married to Wilhelmina Rice since 1964, with whom he had two children, Alvin III and Ericka, plus grandchildren. He remained a beloved figure in the GSW family until his passing at his East Bay home.