Al Attles

Alvin Austin Attles Jr. (born November 7, 1936) is an American retired professional basketball player and coach best known for his longtime association with the Golden State Warriors. He is a graduate of Weequahic High School in Newark and North Carolina A&T State University. Attles joined the then-Philadelphia Warriors in 1960. On March 2, 1962 he was the team's second-leading scorer with 17 points on the night Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. There is a probably apocryphal story to the effect that one of the sportswriters covering the game began his filing with the lede "HERSHEY, Pa. -- Wilt Chamberlain and Al Attles combined for 117 points last night as the Philadelphia Warriors defeated the New York Knicks 169-147." Attles moved with the team to the Bay Area at the end of the 1962 season, playing until 1971. He was a role player on the 1964 Warriors team (with Wilt Chamberlain and Guy Rodgers) that made the NBA Finals and eventually lost the championship series to the Boston Celtics, four games to one. Attles also played on the Warriors' 1967 team that lost to Chamberlain's 68-13 Philadelphia 76ers in an evenly-matched, six-game championship series.

Attles later became one of the first African-American coaches in the NBA when he was named player-coach of the Warriors midway through the 1969-70 season, succeeding George Lee. Attles guided the Rick Barry-led Warriors to the 1975 NBA championship, making him the second African American coach to win an NBA title (the first was Bill Russell). Attles coached the Warriors until 1983, compiling a 557-518 regular season record (588-548 overall) with 6 playoff appearances in 14 seasons. During the 1983–84 season, Attles worked as the Warriors' general manager.

Attles's number 16 is retired by the Warriors and he attends every Warriors home game. He also serves as a team ambassador.

1. ^ Johnson, Roy S. "ATTLES COACHES IN A PERSONAL WAY", The New York Times, January 28, 1982. Accessed November 22, 2007.
2. ^ <http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120302&content_id=26952736&c_id=mlb>
3. ^ Warriors staff directory