My mother fielded many of the phone calls from other NBA teams executives, and watched the offers come in. The Warriors were longshots to beat the Washington Bullets. Juan Toscano-Anderson loves letting people know where hes from, down to the block. Because of those various roles, Attles is one of six Warriors players to have their jersey retired. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. What she couldnt have foreseen was that Juan would travel the world, only to return to the Bay Area and offer hope to the next generation of Oaklanders. "I knew that I was Mexican. There was a sadness in his eyes. Before Letourneau joined The Chronicle, he covered the Oregon State Beavers for The Oregonian. Al Attles was such a player, an enforcer. 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. Juan Toscano-Andersons uncle Macario Toscano Jr. (center left) takes a photo with family members outside Toscano-Andersons childhood home in Oakland. Santa Cruz play-by-play announcer Kevin Dana noticed what he brought to the team early-on. "I need to raise the bar. I knew who I was. A native of Oakland, Toscano-Anderson is uniquely tied to the Golden State Warriors. What Attles didnt know then was that Toscano-Anderson was homeless. 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 wouldn't matter if he was living there or pursuing his basketball dreams elsewhere -- Oakland was always home. I cant wait to see his Hall of Fame ring and Hall of Fame blazer. To a man, they all said my father was not a man you wanted to cross. Warriors come alive in third quarter to beat Portland When his third-grade teacher Al Attles' wife, Wilhelmina took him to a Warriors-sponsored basketball camp, Toscano-Anderson returned home and told his soccer-obsessed grandpa, who asked . If anything, the real work starts now. Really? "I'm from the Bay Area," he said back in March before quickly revising himself,"Wait, I'm not from the Bay. As he walks past familiar liquor stores and laundromats, he is reminded of some childhood memories that shake him to this day. "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. 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 just three months after Patricia moved in, the house she was renting burned down in an electrical fire in the middle of the night while Juan and Ariana were at a slumber party. The Hall of Fame honor comes 59 years after Alvin Austin Attles, Jr. was drafted in the fifth round by the Philadelphia Warriors out of North Carolina A&T. He will turn 83 in November. Attles, one of Montclairs only African American teachers, felt an immediate kinship with Juan, who is half-Black, half-Mexican. But it won't last long. But as a child, it's even harder. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. Beyond Attles No . The time he saw a homeless man beat another homeless man with an aluminum bat on 95th Avenue. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. He was one of the first African-American head coaches in the NBA. This happened once he transferred schools after having a knife pulled on him in second grade. Juan often was late to school -- not because of rebellion, but because his motherwas spread thin -- and during class, he wasn't fully present. 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. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the . (Staff Archives), Oakland, CA Circa 1980 - Al Attles on the sidelines of a Golden State Warriors Basktball game. I am done trying to show people that I am Black and I am Mexican. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Courtesy of Juan Toscano-Anderson's family. "And I always tried to embed that in them in it, and let them know that it didn't make them any less.". Hes had a fighting spirit since the moment he came into the world, Patricia said. Patricia was a single mother of four. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. . She named him Juan. Leave all that. 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. You don't have to look deep to figure out why the Warriors decided to convert Toscano-Anderson's two-way contract to a standard one. Steph Curry takes encouraging step in lead-up to return, though timetable still unknown. He played overseas, joining the Mexican national basketball team in 2016 at the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and then in Mexico and Venezuela from 2016 to 2018. [10], Attles at the Golden State Warriors Victory Parade on June 19, 2015, the night Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, "Al Attles, Hubie Brown recipients of 2017 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award", "50 years on, reluctant Warrior al Attles is the team's mainstay", "Al Attles, a Warrior for Life, is a Bridge to a Lone Bay Area Title", "North Carolina A&T to Retire Alvin Attles' Number", "On the occasion of his father's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, a son pays tribute", Basketball-Reference.com: Al Attles (as coach), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Al_Attles&oldid=1138383068, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 9 February 2023, at 10:58. None of this wouldve been possible without your love and support at a very difficult time in our lives, Patricia wrote. My mom suggested I gather all of my fathers trophies and momentoes, so I grabbed as many as I could and began rushing back and forth to the car. 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. "He's been in and out of the hospital in the last few recent months," Ridder said. My father was being interviewed some 20 feet away and saw the guard grab me. 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. He won an NBA championship in 1975, which made him the second African-American coach to do so, joining Bill Russell. Just being from Oakland, I feel like its embedded in me, he said in his Warriors Player Profile. Want Warriors news delivered to your phone? Golden State Warriors | Steve (Kerr) has never made me feel like I was on a two-way. 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. Seeing somebody from Oakland, it probably gives them a little more inspiration and a little more motivation like this guys where Im from, he grew up in the same neighborhood I grew up in.. It's another experience I share in common with him, often being told I acted or sounded "too white" to be Black. Not a bad story for someone who Dana says is such a great dude.. Over the next three years, he established himself as the countrys best player. It was very structured. 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. Like, let's do it, as opposed to just beating up on the kids at school and in my class all the time. Instead, Attles became a world champion as an NBA coach. 95 -- to represent 95th Avenue in East Oakland. Mrs. Attles was right: Toscano-Andersonwas happiest when he was playing basketball in the yard at Stonehurst Elementary. But does that mean he was a Warriors fan growing up? Those trophies and basketballs dont mean anything. A large part of that was because it was a space for him to let out his competitive juices -- which he's had since birth. Attles, 36, whose father starred for the Golden State Warriors and is now an executive with the team, is getting ready to release his first feature film.. A film set in Oakland. On the occasion of his fathers induction into, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Chart: Bay Area rainfall totals for this week, On the occasion of his fathers induction into the basketball Hall of Fame, a son pays tribute, Steph Curry could return during Warriors next road trip, per reports, Kerrs game plan, the Warriors energy, lifted the Dubs to a much-needed win, Draymond Green explains his issue with Black History Month: Why do we get the shortest month?, Warriors come alive in third quarter to beat Portland, Steph Curry takes encouraging step in lead-up to return, though timetable still unknown. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the 1960 NBA draft. The court was renamed as Al Attles Court. But what he brings to this team extends far beyond what the stat sheet shows. Some players play hungry; Juan plays like a guy whos starving, Warriors guard Mychal Mulder said. Steph Curry could return during Warriors next road trip, per reports Draymond Green explains his issue with Black History Month: Why do we get the shortest month? As a player, coach and ambassador, however, Attles impressed the Warriors more with his substance over flash. "We were houseless, we lived in a car, and from here and there to different places," Patricia said. 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. This happened once he transferred schools after having a knife pulled on him in second grade. When his mom moved back to Castro Valley when he was in fifth grade, he refused to leave East Oakland. As Toscano-Anderson said, money has never been the driving factor for him. Most Californians can put off filing taxes until Oct. 16 but should they? Al's moment came at the height of the "Blaxploitation" period in American cinema when as a boy, his father took him to see Michael Schultz "Car Wash" and Sidney . Even when he was not at his healthiest, Attles still attended Warriors home games in recent seasons. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. It has been his entire life, as he grew up on 95th Avenue in East Oakland. Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast, El Viaje: JTA details his journey in proudly embracing Mexican roots. He also serves as a team ambassador. (By Howard Erker / Oakland Tribune), Former Golden State Warriors player and coach Alvin Attles and his wife Wilhelmina wave to fans along Broadway during the team's NBA championship victory parade in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Friday, June 19, 2015. At one point, the doctor thought they might not be able to save either one of us. Im just ecstatic that hes one of the positive ones. And Toscano-Anderson used that as constant motivation to be at his best. Former Warriors head coach Al Attles attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night, marking his first appearance at Oracle Arena in 2019. 95 jersey, the highest number in Warriors history, is a nod to his grandfathers home at 95th Avenue and A Street in East Oaklands Elmhurst neighborhood. The bigger picture to my father was always his family, and the Warriors had become his family. My father is a true example of hard work, commitment and unwavering integrity. "I feel like this situation is just destined," he said. He tries to impact the game the same way Green does -- by doing a bit of everything. [4] He has a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and History along with a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Attles was the second NBA black coach after Bill Russell. bobbleheads of his likeness. There, Al Attles often sits on a chair. 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. Now, just knowing that hecan provide for his family and stay close to them is just the icing on the cake to signing his contract. Attles has been on the Warriors' payroll in one capacity or another for 62 years, the longest uninterrupted streak of any person for one team. (D. Ross Cameron/Staff Archives), Oakland, CA January 31, 1989 - Golden State Warriors manager Al Attles. He was named player-coach of the Warriors midway through the 196970 season, succeeding George Lee. (Oakland Tribune Photo), Former player, coach, player/coach and the last coach to last Warriors' coach to win a championship Al Attles has a word with the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) following their victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, May 27, 2015. He thanked Attles again Thursday . However, sometimes there is still an internal struggle figuring out where you belong and how you identify. There, in the back of the driveway, Juan and his cousins would shoot at a plastic crate hung on a gate. Sign up for a free trial of Mark Medinas Warriors text messaging service* * *, I would go over and sit with him. Attles was photographed at the team's downtown Oakland practice facility where a large sign honors the 74-75 Warriors. 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. Attles was the 39th overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft. He put everything he had into it, said Warriors guard Rick Barry, who both players with Attles (1965-67) and played for Attles (1974-78). At that time, the only NBA player he knew about was Allen Iverson.". FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. They swept them. I remember this mantra from the time I was five years old, when my father would caution kids at his numerous basketball camps to keep their heads in the books as opposed to betting it all on a professional career. In my case, I was raised in a predominantly white family and went to a predominantly white school. "He just brings that energy and juice to every moment that he comes into the game. That's when fate intervened. Toscano-Anderson would require resilience, a change in the NBAs style of play and some luck to go from a seldom-used college reserve to a rotation player with the Warriors. Especially as he set out to start his career. You can too for just 11 cents a day for 11 months + receive a free Warriors Championship book. And Toscano-Anderson has a similar tenacity, grit and hustle. 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. One half of one percent of people looking to play professional basketball will even get the opportunity to try out.. But hes home now and is getting a little bit stronger every day.. Credit: The voice of the iconic Bill King rang out. 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. 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