Al Attles — a longtime member of the Golden State Warriors organization — has passed away, the team announced Wednesday. He was 87 years old.
According to the organization, he died surrounded by his family in his East Bay home.
Nicknamed “The Destroyer,” Attles spent his entire professional career with the same team — being drafted to the Philadelphia Warriors in 1960. On March 2, 1962, he shared the court with Wilt Chamberlainwhen the center dropped 100 points — contributing 17 of his own.
Over the course of his 11-year career, Attles averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Following his playing days, he transitioned into a coaching role with the Warriors, serving as their assistant coach from 1968 to 1970, and head coach until 1983. He helped guide the squad to an NBA championship in 1975 … as the Warriors swept the Washington Bullets in four games.
“Alvin Attles did not just epitomize what it meant to be a Warrior — he was Mr. Warrior,” the team said in a statement. “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.”
He earned his spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 … and also earned the John R. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award back in 2014.
