Al Attles, the basketball Hall of Famer who coached the Golden State Warriors to the 1975 NBA title, died Tuesday surrounded by his family at his East Bay home in California, the team announced Wednesday. He was 87.
“Alvin Attles did not just epitomize what it meant to be a Warrior—he was Mr. Warrior. 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,” the Warriors said in a statement.
“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.”
Attles’ tenure with the Warriors is the longest with a single franchise in NBA history, the team’s statement notes.
“Most of the great organizations with a lot of history have one player who everybody associates with that franchise,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “Al Attles is that guy for us. He’s the face of our franchise for many generations of Warriors fans. We’re lucky to have him.”
The then-Philadelphia Warriors selected Attles out of North Carolina A&T State in the fifth round of the 1960 draft.
He appeared in 711 regular season games over 11 seasons for the Philadelphia and San Francisco Warriors, averaging 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
The guard played in Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game on March 2, 1962, scoring 17 points in the 169-147 victory against the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
As a head coach, Attles was 557-518 in 13-plus seasons, leading the team to the postseason six times. In 1975, he guided the underdog (48-34) Warriors to the NBA title, sweeping the (60-22) Washington Bullets.
As an executive, Attles brought forward Chris Mullin, center Robert Parish and head coach George Karl – all future Hall of Famers – to the franchse.
“This is a difficult day for me. Alvin Attles had a huge, positive influence on me and my career, not just drafting me in 1985 and bringing me to the Bay Area but guiding me through my journey as a player and a young man, both in good and difficult times,” Mullin said in a statement.
“He set the standard for all of us when it comes to integrity and humility and was truly a champion both on and off the court. There will never be another Alvin Attles.”
Attles is one of six Warriors to have his jersey number retired. The others are Rick Barry, Chamberlain, Tom Meschery, Mullin and Nate Thurmond.
“My heart is heavy today with the loss of my mentor and friend. Al was my roommate during my rookie season in the league. He taught me valuable lessons on being a professional that couldn’t be learned on the court,” Barry said in a statement.
“Later, as our coach during the 1975 championship season, he exemplified leadership, togetherness and a keen strategic ability that enabled us to succeed at the highest level.”
In 2014, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honored him with the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, given to individuals who have “contributed greatly to the game of basketball.”
Three years later, he was named co-recipient of the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award for “gigantic and wide-ranging contributions to the NBA game and coaching profession.”
Attles was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
