Golden State Warriors Hall of Famer Alvin Attles died Tuesday at the age of 87.
The Warriors announced his death on Wednesday. A cause of death was not given.
Attles joined the then Philadelphia Warriors as a player in 1960. He spent the next 60 years of his life serving the franchise in various capacities, including head coach and general manager. His tenure with the Warriors was the longest with a single franchise by one person in NBA history.
Attles, nicknamed “The Destroyer” as a player, served as an enforcer for 11 seasons with the Warriors from 1960-71. He played alongside Wilt Chamberlain for five of those seasons and was the team’s second-leading scorer with 17 points in Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962. He earned his reputation as an enforcer and disruptor despite his status as a 6-foot, 175-pound guard.
“Alvin Attles was not only the embodiment of what it meant to be a Warrior — he was Mr. Warrior,” a team statement said. “His tenacious playing style earned him the affectionate nickname ‘The Destroyer’ on the court, but it was his gentle soul, grace and humility off the court that guided the organization for more than six decades.”
Attles remained with the Warriors when they moved to the Bay Area in 1962 and until his retirement as a player in 1971. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists for his career.
Attles spent his final four seasons as a player-coach – two as an assistant and two as head coach, beginning in 1969. He remained on the sidelines as head coach until the 1982–83 season, a stint that spanned 14 seasons in the role.
Attles coached the Warriors to the NBA championship from 1974-75. A team featuring Hall of Famers Rick Barry and Jamaal Wilkes swept the Washington Bullets of Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld in the 1975 NBA Finals.
“My heart is heavy today for the loss of my mentor and friend,” Barry said in a team statement Wednesday. … “We shared so many wonderful and memorable moments together. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Wilhelmina, and his entire family. He will be greatly missed.”
Attles stepped down as head coach in 1983 to lead the team as general manager. He led the Warriors to a 557–518 record as head coach during a period that included six playoff appearances, and he remains the franchise’s all-time leader in coaching wins.
Attles served as general manager for three seasons, a role during which he drafted Hall of Fame Warriors icon Chris Mullin (No. 7, 1985).
He served in a variety of roles for the franchise, including vice president, consultant and ambassador. In 2014, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame honored Attles with the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award. Five years later, he was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame. His number 16 is one of six jerseys retired by the Warriors and hangs in the rafters of the Chase Center alongside those of Chamberlain, Barry, Mullin, Nate Thurmond and Tom Meschery.
Attles remained a fixture in the stands at home games during the franchise’s recent run to four NBA titles under Stephen Curry and during the team’s subsequent championship celebrations. He was and remains synonymous with the Warriors.
