Al Attles, who starred at North Carolina A&T before embarking on a successful NBA career as a player and coach, died on Wednesday.
He was 87.
Attles died in his San Francisco Bay Area home on Tuesday, surrounded by family, according to the Golden State Warriors.
Attles, a native of Newark, New Jersey, played for legendary North Carolina A&T head men’s basketball coach Cal Irvin from 1956-60, graduating in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and history. He led the Aggies to consecutive Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) titles in 1958 and ’59.
“I have so much respect and admiration for Coach Irvin,” Attles once said about the coach. “When he first recruited me to A&T, the furthest south I had ever been was Philadelphia. He taught me how to dress nicely, show up properly, and have respect for my peers and professors.”
In 1960, Attles was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors and played for 11 seasons with the team in Philadelphia and then when the team moved to San Francisco. He had several roles in the franchise, including coach from 1970-83. Attles led the organization to an NBA championship in 1975, becoming only the second Black coach to win a title. He is one of five Warriors to have his number retired.
On February 7, 2015, Attles became the first player in the history of A&T athletics to have his number officially retired. His number 22 jersey hangs from the rafters of Corbett Sports Center.
“I had the best time of my life at A&T, and I always tell people if I had another opportunity to come back, I would do it all over again,” Attles said during the ceremony.
In 2019, Attles was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“Mr. Attles left an indelible mark on the school he loved, North Carolina A&T State University, and the entire basketball world,” said North Carolina A&T Director of Athletics Earl M. Hilton III. “In so many ways, he exemplified Aggie Pride in how he carried himself as a professional and a fixture in the Bay Area community. We mourn his loss along with his family and everyone who knew and loved him.”
Courtesy: North Carolina A&T athletics
