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Alvin ‘Al’ Attles Coach of 1975 NBA Champions Team and Warriors Legend Dies at 87
Alvin Attles, the esteemed coach who led the 1975 Warriors to their championship and became a legendary figure in basketball, has passed away at 87. Read more.
The Golden State Warriors announced Wednesday that Alvin Attles, a legend of the team and a Basketball Hall of Famer, has passed away at 87. Attles, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors with the 39th pick in the 1960 NBA Draft, moved with the team to San Francisco and played his entire 11-year career with the franchise.
"Alvin leaves behind a profound legacy in basketball and the Bay Area community, but most importantly, he was a dedicated family man and humanitarian," the Warriors said in a statement. "We mourn his loss along with his wife, Wilhelmina, son Alvin, and everyone who knew and loved him."
Attles averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds during his career. Eight seasons into his NBA career, he became an assistant coach in 1968 while still playing. After retiring in 1971, he took on the role of head coach in San Francisco and led the Warriors to a championship in 1975.
“My heart is heavy today with the loss of my mentor and friend,” Warriors Hall of Famer Rick Barry said. “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.
“Later, as our coach during the 1975 championship season, he exemplified leadership, togetherness, and a keen strategic ability to succeed at the highest level. We shared so many wonderful and memorable moments. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Wilhelmina, and his entire family. He will be dearly missed.”
In 1968, Attles took on the role of assistant coach for the Warriors while still playing. He was appointed player-coach midway through the 1969-70 season. After retiring at the end of the 1970-71 season, he continued as the head coach of the Warriors, a position he held until the 1982-83 season. Attles, one of the NBA's first Black head coaches, led the Warriors for 14 seasons, achieving a 557-518 (.518) record and guiding the team to the postseason six times. His greatest accomplishment as a player and coach came during the 1974-75 season when he coached the Warriors, led by Hall of Famer Rick Barry, to their second championship with a 4-0 sweep over the Washington Bullets.
Following the 1982-83 season, Attles became the Warriors' general manager, a position he held for three years. As GM, he drafted Hall of Famer Chris Mullin with the seventh overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft. Mullin became the cornerstone of the "Run TMC" trio, which included Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond, and electrified the Warriors through the late '80s and '90s.
In 2019, Attles was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame alongside Vlade Divac, Sidney Moncrief, and Teresa Weatherspoon.
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