After joining the former Philadelphia Warriors in 1960 as the clubs fifth-round draft choice, Attles became known as The Destroyer during his 11-year NBA career because of his unyielding physical presence along with 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Oakland is no stranger to people with mixed backgrounds. I cant wait to see his Hall of Fame ring and Hall of Fame blazer. You know, just really taking on the competitive challenge that was needed.". Those trophies and basketballs dont mean anything. There were others who said he shouldn't have gone to training camp with the Warriors last year because they didn't have an open roster spot. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Hall of Famer Al Attles returned to Oracle Arena at long last. "He's been in and out of the hospital in the last few recent months," Ridder said. Alvin Attles wife she was my third grade teacher and I was playing soccer prior to that put me into a Warriors Camp. Jeff Mullins and . Because there is nowhere better than home, playing for the home team. It wouldn't matter if he was or wasn't a member of the team, he would always consider himself a Warrior. (1999) and Black Magic (2008). But my dads priorities even in a potentially life-changing situation, left a deep impression on me. One of those games included a USA-Mexico match. Fell in love with it, said Toscano-Anderson. Draymond Green explains his issue with Black History Month: Why do we get the shortest month? I wont detail the rest, because I am not sure if my father is still protected under the statute of limitations. Toscano-Anderson could have been among them. Even then, he knew that suburbia didnt suit him. She was aware of the struggles the Toscano family was facing and wanted to help, so she suggested Toscano-Anderson enroll in the Golden State Warriors youth camp. Then, one day in spring 2015, Attles received a small package containing a program from the Marquette University mens basketball program and a letter. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? But the more we thought about it, the more we knew we wanted to tell people about the things that make my father special to us. San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images. I hated to hear it then, but I grew to understand, my father was extolling the value of hard work. Now Toscano-Anderson is poised to become the first Oakland-born player since the early 1970s to stick on the Warriors roster for three straight seasons. Sign me up! Alvin Attles, Actor: Inside Moves. Although celebrities such as Wilt Chamberlain, Jesse Jackson, and Bill Cosby were friends of his, he never took on celebrity airs. Attles moved with the team to the Bay Area at the end of the 1962 season, playing until 1971. ", Earlier in his life, it was easier for Toscano-Anderson to identity as Black because of his surroundings. "I would say, like at home, it was just like all Mexican traditions. Before returning to his luxury apartment near Chase Center in San Francisco, Toscano-Anderson feasts at his favorite Mexican restaurant, Mariscos La Costa on International Boulevard. Keen members of Dub Nation likely saw a lot of Toscano-Anderson while they watched this past NBA Summer League as he played on both of the Dubs summer squads in the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League. JTA incredibly surprises camper with free trip to Cancun camp. Although the American team was full of G League players, Mexico came out on top. I don't know if it was my pride or selfishness, but I have no regrets.". Beyond Attles No . According to police, after a 17-year-old alleged gang member tried to crash the party and was turned away by Toscanos father, he returned a half hour later and opened fire on bystanders, killing Toscano and wounding three others. When he is not watching the game, Attles is catching up with a former Warriors teammate or fan. It was during the early October matchups that Toscano-Anderson made another nod to his upbringing as he changed his jersey number to 95. He rushed from his interview and was soon nose -to-nose with the policeman. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Sign up for a free trial of Mark Medinas Warriors text messaging service* * *, I would go over and sit with him. Twenty years ago, Juan Toscano-Anderson was initially introduced to basketball by his third grade teacher, Wilhelmina Attles, wife of Hall of Famer and Warriors legend Alvin Attles. (By Robert Stinnett / Oakland Tribune), Al Attles was the head coach for the Golden State Warriors during their only championship in the 1974-75 season. Willhemina Attles, wife of Warriors Hall of Famer Al Attles, holds a mug signed by current Warrior Juan Toscano-Anderson and his third-grade classmates from back in 2002 when Attles was. [9] He was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. Golden State Warriors Established 1946 | 7-time NBA Champions October 6, 2021 2:43 PM PDT Twenty years ago, Juan Toscano-Anderson was initially introduced to basketball by his third grade teacher,. On a typical day Rick and Pam Barry get up between 10 and noon in their house on Mercer Island outside of Seattle and begin their exercise routine: First, there's 15 minutes designed to develop the. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! He also paved the way for more racial equality within the NBA coaching profession. She and Kansas City . Get the family photo albums.. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? As a kid, Toscano-Anderson lived in five houses scattered across East Oakland. This happened once he transferred schools after having a knife pulled on him in second grade. Alvin, my father yelled, stopping me in my tracks. The time when he was in the backseat of his moms car outside the McDonalds on 98th Avenue and International as men exchanged gunfire that barely missed him. In addition to sending Juan to the Warriors youth basketball camp, Attles connected him with the Oakland Rebels, a youth AAU program. Al Attles was born on November 7, 1936 in Newark, NJ. I love who I am. At a time when you're trying to form your identity, this kind of commentary makes it nearly impossible. Whenever issues arose in the neighborhood, it was Juan who defended her. His top choice was Cal in nearby Berkeley, but his mother, desperate for him to get as far away from East Oaklands streets as possible, persuaded him to pick the Wisconsin school. It's a city made up of an incredibly diverse population, making those of us who tend to fall in minority races or are biracial feel more at peace. Attles became an assistant coach in 1968, while still a player. Toscano-Anderson was introduced to basketball, specifically Warriors basketball when Wilhelmina Attles -- wife of Warriors legend Al Attles and Toscano-Anderson's former teacher at Stonehurst Elementary School -- got him involved with the Warriors' youth program. (By Dino Vournas/Straff Archives), Oakland, CA January 23, 1980 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles rejoices. To Toscano-Anderson, this meant that he too could compete against the talent in the G League. She also did the cooking, the cleaning, paid the bills, helped with homework, carpooled us to our various activities and even taught me how to play basketball, as more and more of my fathers time was spent at work. You can waste them both.. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. In 1991, Oakland suffered a devastating Hills fire. I grew up around [an] all Mexican family. But his desire to play basketball continued, which led him to play in Mexico for four seasons and play for the Mexican national basketball team. Al Attle's wife Wilhemina with children Erika and Alvin Jr. watch Game 4 of the championship series against the Washington Bullets May 25, 1975 (Photo by Terry Schmitt/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) DETAILS Restrictions: Contact your local office for all commercial or promotional uses. "I feel like there's more that I need to do," Toscano-Anderson said. "I still did it all my way," Toscano-Anderson said. "I had an itch to compete all the time, whether it's who's gonna wash the dishes the fastest, you know, who's going to get from point A to point B, the fastest who's gonna make 100 threes the fastest. Nicknamed the "Destroyer",[2][3] he played the point guard position and spent his entire 11 seasons (19601971) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the team, joining it when it was still based in Philadelphia and following it to the Bay Area in 1962. I started playing basketball in third grade. I just, I was living in urban culture. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. As a youth, Toscano-Anderson was a Warriors Basketball Camp participant, officially becoming the first Golden State Warriors player to have participated in the franchises youth basketball program. But what he brings to this team extends far beyond what the stat sheet shows. She also helped him get on the Oakland Rebels' AAU basketball team. Mrs. Attles was right: Toscano-Andersonwas happiest when he was playing basketball in the yard at Stonehurst Elementary. Do you understand me? he barked at the trembling guard, who apologized and slunk away. Now on that standard contract, Juan is ready to prove that decision was the right one. It was 20 years ago when teacher Wilhelmina Attles, wife of former Warriors star player and coach Al Attles, encouraged Toscano-Anderson to play basketball. Next, going from a two-way deal to a standard NBA contract. (Staff Archives), Oakland, CA January 23, 1980 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles on the sidelines. Really? But he was one. We were just so hurt, the staff and I, that a kid would be exposed to that, Attles said. Similarly, Toscano-Anderson has always been a Warrior, since he was part of the organization's youth program in the third grade. Retired teacher Wilhelmina Attles was cleaning her kitchen last month when she came across a coffee mug adorned with signatures from one of her old third-grade classes at Montclair Elementary School. He was one of the first African-American head coaches in the NBA. Attles coached the Warriors until 1983, compiling a 557518 regular-season record (588548 including playoffs) with six playoff appearances in 14 seasons. At the end of the day, I accept that I am in a different category of my own. His career was built on maximizing his ability and working to become efficient in areas he wasnt comfortable. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the 1960 NBA draft. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, San Francisco, CA - Circa 1969 to 1971: Al Attles, #16, makes the jump during a San Francisco Warriors verus Los Angeles Lakers game. Al Attles is best known as a Basketball Player. She named him Juan. He performed so well that it prompted a last-minute trade of six-year NBA veteran Terrence Jones in order to make a roster spot for Toscano-Anderson. With Ray likening Attles on-court intensity to a combination of Dennis Rodman or Russell Westbrook, the Warriors leaned on Attles to make hustle plays and knock out his opponents. When Attles arranged for him to attend the Warriors youth basketball camp for free, she didnt imagine that it would start a hardwood odyssey that would culminate in a roster spot on his hometown NBA team. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. And Toscano-Anderson used that as constant motivation to be at his best. Al Attles, NBA player. In elementary school, he was encouraged to play basketball by his former teacher Wilhelmina Attles, wife of Warriors legend and Hall of Famer Al Attles. . I love it here. Al Attle's wife Wilhemina with children Erika and Alvin Jr. watch Game 4 of the championship series against the Washington Bullets May 25, 1975 (Photo by Terry Schmitt/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images), 1983 x 3296 px (6.61 x 10.99 in) - 300 dpi - 2 MB. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Beyond that, Attles didnt know much. During the first few months in his new town, he took care of his two younger siblings while his mom worked as the director of Catholic Charities violence prevention program. Alvin Austin Attles Jr. (born November 7, 1936) is an American former professional basketball player and coach best known for his longtime association with the Golden State Warriors. Wilhelmina, the wife of Golden State legend Al Attles, could sense that something troubled her new student. So, the Warriors themselves, for what they are, they've given me dreams. (Jane Tyska/Staff Archives), Former Golden State Warriors head coach Al Attles attends a press conference to introduce the team's new draft picks at the team's headquarters in Oakland, Calif., Monday, June 27, 2011. Patricia Toscano, mother of Golden State Warriors forward Juan Toscano-Anderson, stands outside his childhood home in Oakland. Coming up in the part of the town that I came up in, it almost feels like youre in that book, Where the Wild Things Are, Toscano-Anderson said. The doctor asked Patricias family whom he should save, if it came down to a choice: mother or son. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. Al Attles with Ben Trefny The Warriors just won their fourth NBA title in eight years - we hear from the man who coached them to their first title here back in 1975, former Warriors head coach Al Attles. He made it a point to become fluent in Spanish, and took a trip to Chevy, Mexico, with his grandfather to see where his family was from. Steph Curry could return during Warriors next road trip, per reports I remember walking to in the house one day to find Marvin Gaye sitting in our living room. I just love to compete," Toscano-Andersonsaid. It has been his entire life, as he grew up on 95th Avenue in East Oakland. "I'm in tune with both of my heritages, and I love that about myself. Alvin Austin Attles Jr. (born November 7, 1936) is an American former professional basketball player and coach best known for his longtime association with the Golden State Warriors. Our house didnt burn; we were among the fortunate. They've given me an idea of where I wanted to be in my life and what I wanted to do.". (Ray Chavez/Staff Archives). What Attles didnt know then was that Toscano-Anderson was homeless. That's when fate intervened. Point guard who starred for the Philadelphia/Golden State Warriors from 1960-1971, and coached the team from 1970-1983. Attles was known as "The Destroyer" due to his defensive specialities along with once punching a player in the jaw. pizza favorite shuts down after 13 years, plus more Bay Area S.F. Klay Thompson subscribes. Because of those various roles, Attles is one of six Warriors players to have their jersey retired. Thompson: Known for his toughness, Warriors legend Al Attles' strength comes from his wife's love By Marcus Thompson II Apr 4, 2019 Al Attles, 82, is a champ in the kitchen. Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. But all it took was a little encouragement from the wife of a Warriors Hall of Famer to turn him onto the sport. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the . Teacher and student lost touch, however, when he moved on to Montera Middle School. But The Town isn't Toscano-Anderson's only home. I get to enjoy everything I get to do with my family. But he gave up a six-figure salary and a luxury apartment in Monterrey for the chance to join more than two dozen players at a tryout for a training-camp spot with Golden States G League affiliate. Al Attles was such a player, an enforcer. Through the rest of elementary and middle school, Juan split time between his grandpas home and those of his AAU coaches in Oakland, not moving to Castro Valley full-time until the summer before his freshman year of high school. That is the Oakland seeping out of Toscano-Anderson's pores. (Ron Riesterer / Oakland Tribune Staff Archives), Oakland, CA February 13, 1976 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles at a press conference. Connor Letourneau is a sports enterprise reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. At that time, the only NBA player he knew about was Allen Iverson.". I think it's just there's a difference, you know, like actually indulging in, you know, the culture to traditions, the language, all of that stuff. Toscano-Anderson was introduced to basketball in the third grade at Oakland's Stonehurst Elementary School by his then-teacher Wilhelmina Attles, who is a former Upsala College basketball star and also the wife of Warriors legend and Hall of Famer Al Attles. For kids that are from Oakland, they can identify with me., Toscano-Anderson continued: Its not like theyre looking at the Kobe Bryants or the LeBron James. I remember attending an NBA all-star game one summer at The Forum. She noticed that he seemed to be happiest when he was playing basketball in the schoolyard. Juan Toscano-Anderson loves letting people know where hes from, down to the block. "She never mentioned Mr. Attles was her husband, and I mean, I knew [who] the Warriors were, but I didn't know any of that," Patricia said. He poured his heart, body and soul into it., WARRIORS HQ PODCAST: Be sure to visit our podcast page at mercurynews.com. My mother, Wilhelmina, worked full time as a schoolteacher (almost forty years). Although I never quite understood the one-half-of-one-percent phrase, at five years old I understood that my father was a practical man. During the teams first public event at the newly opened Chase Center he had to take the mic and perform for the fans in attendance. 16, Barry (24), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Tom Meschery (14), Chris Mullin (17) and Nate Thurmond (42) hang in the rafters. Im just ecstatic that hes one of the positive ones. A few lucky ones would be invited to training camp with a chance to join the roster. When he was 7, his mom saved enough money to relocate to Castro Valley, a suburb free of many of her old neighborhoods hardships. So much so, Toscano-Anderson went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, and not for any lack of talent, but by his own admission he did not even submit his name for the draft. X27 ; AAU basketball team basketball player if my father was extolling the value hard. Draymond Green explains his issue with Black History Month: Why do they my... 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