Al Attles, a former NBA guard, coach, and executive with the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Golden State Warriors, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 87.
The Golden State Warriors issued a statement honoring Attles, noting, “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.”
Attles played for the Warriors from 1961 to 1971 and served as the team’s head coach from 1970 to 1983. His association with the franchise spanned over 60 years in various roles.
During his playing career, Attles, a North Carolina A&T alumnus and native of Newark, N.J., averaged double-digit points per game and was ranked in the NBA’s top 20 in assists on four occasions.
In his final two seasons, Attles served as a player-coach and led the Warriors to an NBA Championship in 1975. The 1975 Finals featured the first championship series between two Black coaches, with Attles leading the Warriors and K.C. Jones coaching the Washington Bullets.
