Tough. Some nights, he slept with his mom, Patricia Toscano, and sister, Ariana, in their silver sedan. It's never an easy critique to hear. I paint the city, man, Toscano-Anderson said. Because there is nowhere better than home, playing for the home team. 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. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. 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. But it didn't matter to Toscano-Anderson. He also didnt inundate us with a lot of technical things and paper work. Courtesy of Juan Toscano-Anderson's family. The 28-year-old has become a keyrotation player for the Warriors, averaging 8.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals over the last 13 games, while shooting 63 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from deep in 29 minutes per game. In 1991, Oakland suffered a devastating Hills fire. Work to make people respect you, even if you cant do something for them.. Golden State Warriors | He was one of the first African-American head coaches in the NBA. I greatly anticipate my father becoming immortalized. Toscano-Anderson contains a similar fire to that of Draymond Green, who's considered the heartbeat of the team. To a man, they all said my father was not a man you wanted to cross. But at the same time, knowing he is about to be making the most money he has ever made in his life, is a nice thought. After police officers broke up the dispute and left the scene, the man returned. She missed doctors appointments. I remember attending an NBA all-star game one summer at The Forum. Heck, he wears it on his chest and back every time he puts on his Golden State Warriors jersey. I'm just Juan, the biracial guy. One would think, such brushes with greatness might change a person. Juan, he said, had a real future in basketball. Sign me up! I hated to hear it then, but I grew to understand, my father was extolling the value of hard work. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? The Warriors were longshots to beat the Washington Bullets. Furthermore, in 2018, Toscano-Anderson joined the G-League with the Santa Cruz Warriors, where he played for the club for two seasons. Point guard who starred for the Philadelphia/Golden State Warriors from 1960-1971, and coached the team from 1970-1983. The immense pride Toscano-Anderson has for his hometown is a common trait found in most Oaklanders, including myself. 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. "I'll take care of it. And Al Attles Golden State Warriors have just won the NBA championship!. His ability to guard multiple positions, find open shooters and ratchet up the tempo intrigued Golden State, which had helped hasten the leagues trend toward a positionless brand of basketball. Some players play hungry; Juan plays like a guy whos starving, Warriors guard Mychal Mulder said. Toscano-Anderson has faced racism from both Mexicans and African Americans, telling him he wasn't enough of either to consider himself a Mexican man or a Black man. "I need to raise the bar. FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. He also paved the way for more racial equality within the NBA coaching profession. To her surprise, she was having a boy. I am starting to accept that and who I am. I grew up around [an] all Mexican family. I get to enjoy everything I get to do with my family. But before he could play in a preseason game, Toscano-Anderson had to complete what has become a team tradition at the annual Open Practice: he had to sing. The boy bothering my aunt found that out the hard way. He had planned to attend the party. And so that was kind of humbling. "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. Despite the violence, Toscano-Anderson came to appreciate East Oaklands blue-collar ethos at an early age. Fell in love with it, said Toscano-Anderson. One of those games included a USA-Mexico match. 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. He was born in Newark, New Jersey. He hadnt known how to cook, just as he hadnt known how to coach when Franklin Mieuli asked him to take charge of the Warriors. Beyond Attles No . Once he slipped up. Stephen Curry has not only led a Warriors resurgence since entering the league, he has changed the game with his long-distance shooting. Attles, 82, has not been at Warriors games recently this season because of what team spokesman Raymond Ridder called age-related ailments. The Warriors have invited Attles to be among the Warriors luminaries to attend Sundays game against the Clippers, which will mark the final regular-season game at Oracle Arena. She and Kansas City . Once I leave Chase Center, I can drive across that bridge and go straight home and celebrate all of this with my family. As did the policeman. In 2014, Attles was the recipient of the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Awardan annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to an individual who has contributed significantly to the sport of basketball, the award is the highest and the most prestigious honor presented by the Basketball Hall of Fame other than enshrinement. Warriors come alive in third quarter to beat Portland As Toscano-Anderson said, the team never treated him as a two-way player because of what he brought to the court. Now that I have this opportunity to play for the Warriors what I plan to do is just be me: be a great teammate, be the hardest playing guy on the floor, whatever it takes to win. Meteorologist Gerry Daz examines why Februarys storm door was left wide open and when more Yosemite breaks snow record; park closed indefinitely, The epic California snowpack is inching toward record levels. He is married to Willhemina Rice. Really? My dad and my sister were my only regular exposure to other Black people. 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. Attles was the second NBA black coach after Bill Russell. Beaty slugged Meschery . Then, it also appears inevitable they will honor Attles. Instead, Attles became a world champion as an NBA coach. "But he's. So instead of a substantial financial increase and a promise of more executive control in a new city, my dad settled for lifelong season tickets, a small salary bump and a familiar seat in his office in the Oakland Coliseum. 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,. After finishing fifth on the Warriors all-time games played list (711), he transitioned into coaching the organization. In all, Attles has been a Warriors employee in some fashion for 57 years, going back to when he was drafted by the team in 1960. But there were complications. My mother fielded many of the phone calls from other NBA teams executives, and watched the offers come in. I knew who I was. "I'm in tune with both of my heritages, and I love that about myself. Although the American team was full of G League players, Mexico came out on top. They've given me an idea of where I wanted to be in my life and what I wanted to do.". Draymond Green explains his issue with Black History Month: Why do we get the shortest month? But at a certain point, the competition on the playground wasn't enough for him. Jeff Mullins and . Follow Bay Area News Group Warriors beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 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. In the decade since Toscano-Anderson got that tattoo as a junior at Castro Valley, he had reasons to believe he might not be so special. It seems hardly surprising since Attles cemented an 11-year career with the Warriors, coached them to their 1975 NBA championship and served as a longtime club ambassador. 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. "I can't envision anyone playing better than Barry is right now," says Warrior Coach Al Attles, whose surprising club leads the Pacific Division despite the loss over the past six months of Nate Thurmond, Clyde Lee, Jim Barnett, Joe Ellis and Cazzie Russell through trades, release or the kind of front-office ineptitude that once made the . You hardly feel out of place. That's what kind of jump started me playing basketball. Attles was known as "The Destroyer" due to his defensive specialities along with once punching a player in the jaw. The Bay Area is catching a break from winter storms. It has been his entire life, as he grew up on 95th Avenue in East Oakland. (Ray Chavez/Staff Archives). That's when fate intervened. As he walks past familiar liquor stores and laundromats, he is reminded of some childhood memories that shake him to this day. It was very structured. Connor Letourneau is a sports enterprise reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. . "He just brings that energy and juice to every moment that he comes into the game. Mrs. Attles told her not to worry about it. A film he wrote . Oakland is home to Juan Toscano-Anderson. "It's God-sent for sure. I'm glad I did everything my way.". Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. He shot and killed Juan on 92nd Avenue. "But, with all that being said, I feel like I have done myself a disservice by trying to make people happy. Keeping that connection to his roots in the East Bay are important to him, too, as Toscano-Anderson understands that his story can serve to benefit others. I was 10 years old or so and ran around playing tag in the locker room with my cousins Bernard and Kevin. When he was 7, his mom saved enough money to relocate to Castro Valley, a suburb free of many of her old neighborhoods hardships. Attles coaching credentials went beyond on-court accomplishments. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. I look forward to meeting so many idols from my youth. Toscano-Anderson memorialized his late cousin by getting a tattoo of 78 Erics jersey number with Oaklands Skyline High School football team on his upper left arm. The Warriors have invited various luminaries, including Barry, Mullin, Sleepy Floyd, Marreese Speights and Jason Richardson for Sundays game against the Los Angeles Clippers, which marks the final regular-season game at Oracle Arena. But it has been his standing in our family that has always held the most meaning for us. On April 6, 2019, Attles was chosen as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Juan often was late to school -- not because of rebellion, but because his motherwas spread thin -- and during class, he wasn't fully present. Attles moved with the team to the Bay Area at the end of the 1962 season, playing until 1971. I remember walking to in the house one day to find Marvin Gaye sitting in our living room. That's the first step, I've gotten through the first step to put myself in a situation to be here for another year, so now I'm working to continue and have longevity in this league.". Following a short stint as the Warriors general manager in 1983-84, Attles retired and became a regular fixture at Warriors home games. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. . One night, Raymond Young, the Oakland Rebels head coach, called Patricia and told her to make other babysitting arrangements. As the years passed, Attles often wondered what had become of the meek boy with the cornrows and the Larry Hughes jersey. Want Warriors news delivered to your phone? That showed me like, oh, I got a long way to go to get better.". Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? "I can get in where I fit in in the hood, and I can go to a quinceaeraand speak Spanish. Marvin Gaye! Golden State Warriors | His drive to get better also is intact. But Ridder added, his family is going to play it by ear on whether he attends. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the . Juan Toscano-Andersons uncle Macario Toscano Jr. (center left) takes a photo with family members outside Toscano-Andersons childhood home in Oakland. Toscano-Andersons performance at the 2015 FIBA Americas championship was enough to land him a contract from Mexicos top league. 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. But The Town isn't Toscano-Anderson's only home. He thanked Attles again Thursday, noting, "She just changed my life." Attles was replaced by Johnny Bach for the last 21 games of the 197980 NBA season (a season in which the Warriors finished tied for last place), though he returned for the next season (Bach would become Attles's permanent successor after 1983). Thats what kind of jump started me playing basketball. He also serves as a team ambassador. Teacher and student lost touch, however, when he moved on to Montera Middle School. "He's been in and out of the hospital in the last few recent months," Ridder said. He won an NBA championship in 1975, which made him the second African-American coach to do so, joining Bill Russell. 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. There were times people told Toscano-Anderson he made the wrong decision by going to the G League. When Toscano-Anderson shops at the Costco in San Leandro, strangers often thank him for organizing two protests in Oakland last spring against social injustice and police brutality. Well before Warriors coach Steve Kerr adopted a strength in numbers philosophy to complement his All-Star players, Attles used that concept to help the Warriors lone star in Barry. She was aware of the strugglesthe Toscano family was facing and wanted to help, so she suggested Toscano-Andersonenrollin the Golden State Warriors youth camp. I dont take any of that for granted., Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Friday, the basketball Hall Of Fame will confirm what weve all known all along. 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. Al Attles is synonymous with the Golden State Warriors, and Friday night he will be immortalized here as a member of the basketball Hall Of Fame. He loved it. Attles, 82, has had four surgeries in the past. Leave it to Toscano-Anderson to make his connection to the Bay Area known through his song of choice: Thizzle Dance by the late East Bay rapper Mac Dre. He made things easy and simplified things, Ray said. After the Warriors went 48-34 in the 1974-75 season, Attles coached the Warriors to their first NBA championship in 1975 by upsetting the Washington Bullets in a four-game Finals sweep. It got even harder when their home burned down when Juan was in third grade. Take the instance where Toscano-Anderson cracked his head open on a dive to save a possession in the April 15 game against the Boston Celtics as evidence. Everybody makes a mistake. Attles became an assistant coach in 1968, while still a player. 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. Patricia explained to Mrs. Attles that while she'd love for her son to be involved, but she simply didn't have the money for it. That got pretty boring after doing every day at recess. Golden State Warriors | In Game 4 of the 1975 Finals, Riordan walked up to Rick Barry and shoved the Warriors star. (Staff Archives), Oakland, CA January 23, 1980 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles on the sidelines. Attles was photographed at the team's downtown Oakland practice facility where a large sign honors the 74-75 Warriors. The team would make the playoffs only once more for the remainder of his tenure as coach. My father is a true example of hard work, commitment and unwavering integrity. Yes, the wife of Warriors legend Al Attles. "I feel like there's more that I need to do," Toscano-Anderson said. He was there when Chamberlain scored 100 points in 1962. There was a sadness in his eyes. The court was renamed as Al Attles Court. Patricia was a single mother of four. 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. The racket she caused made my father get up to ask her what was wrong. (D. Ross Cameron/Staff Archives), Golden State Warriors' legend Alvin Attles ackowledges the crowd as Nate Thurmond, left, looks on during a special tribute to Attles as part of the NBA Hardwood Classics Month during the game agaInst the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half of an NBA game at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. I don't want to say I didn't accept it. I don't know if it was my pride or selfishness, but I have no regrets.". 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. Toscano-Andersons play at Santa Cruz was so strong in the 2018-19 season, the Warriors wanted to see more. None of this wouldve been possible without your love and support at a very difficult time in our lives, Patricia wrote. Get the family photo albums.. He is a graduate of Weequahic High School in Newark, New Jersey and North Carolina A&T State University. Hes been with the Warriors forever. San Francisco is at its most unaffordable point in at least a decade, S.F. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? My mom explained that her day was exhausting, and she was tired. He was just 19. Seventeen days after her due date, Patricia went into labor. Hes here, and hes making his presence felt.. In addition to becoming a hero of sorts to Mexicans and Mexican Americans for being the only active NBA player of Mexican descent, Toscano-Anderson has become an icon to Oaklanders, many of them still upset that the Warriors left their home of 47 years for San Francisco. Alvin Attles III is a writer, a filmmaker and the son of basketball Hall of Famer Al Attles. I wont detail the rest, because I am not sure if my father is still protected under the statute of limitations. 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