Before Fame Shenoticed that heseemed to be happiest when he was playing basketball in the schoolyard. "Even with knowing that final part of the play, I would still make the same play 10 times out of 10," he said. At one point, the doctor thought they might not be able to save either one of us. Want Warriors news delivered to your phone? They have two children. . This happened once he transferred schools after having a knife pulled on him in second grade. 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. Its a reflection of Toscano-Andersons upbringing in East Oakland, the most dangerous area of a city with 30 homicides already in 2021. I am done trying to show people that I am Black and I am Mexican. They've been here ever since. But as a child, it's even harder. Wilhelmina, the wife of Golden State legend Al Attles, could sense that something troubled her new student. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? [7] He was a role player on the 1964 Warriors team (with Wilt Chamberlain and Guy Rodgers) that made the NBA Finals and eventually lost the championship series to the Boston Celtics, four games to one. Jersey No. It's another experience I share in common with him, often being told I acted or sounded "too white" to be Black. We knew what we were doing.. "Juan didn't know either. I wanted to be a guy who establishes himself in this league and is not just here for preseason or a 10-day or a call-up. 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 was never a star in the league, yet he was an . It has been his entire life, as he grew up on 95th Avenue in East Oakland. Draymond Green explains his issue with Black History Month: Why do we get the shortest month? Now on that standard contract, Juan is ready to prove that decision was the right one. 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. Instead, Attles became a world champion as an NBA coach. 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,. Point guard who starred for the Philadelphia/Golden State Warriors from 1960-1971, and coached the team from 1970-1983. The racket she caused made my father get up to ask her what was wrong. 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 . "It's God-sent for sure. 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. In 1991, Oakland suffered a devastating Hills fire. But The Town isn't Toscano-Anderson's only home. But what he brings to this team extends far beyond what the stat sheet shows. Oakland is home to Juan Toscano-Anderson. I grew up around [an] all Mexican family. It's never an easy critique to hear. Alvin Attles wife she was my third grade teacher and I was playing soccer prior to that put me into a Warriors Camp. 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. Click here if you are unable to view this gallery on a mobile device. In 29 games, he has averaged 5.0 points on 52.8% shooting (40% from 3-point range), 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 19.1 minutes. But all it took was a little encouragement from the wife of a Warriors Hall of Famer to turn him onto the sport. But it won't last long. 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. There were times people told Toscano-Anderson he made the wrong decision by going to the G League. I remember attending an NBA all-star game one summer at The Forum. I love who I am. A Warriors Outsiders segment was detailing Toscano-Andersons rise with Golden State. "I never imagined it being a Warrior jersey. * * *. The Jersey Jet) Position: Point Guard Shoots: Right 6-0 , 175lb (183cm, 79kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 16 16 16 SUMMARY Career G 711 PTS 8.9 TRB 3.5 AST 3.5 FG% 45.1 FT% 63.2 PER 11.3 WS 36.5 Al Attles Overview Game Logs Game-by-game stat line for the player 1960-61 1961-62 1962-63 Despite the violence, Toscano-Anderson came to appreciate East Oaklands blue-collar ethos at an early age. 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. There, Al Attles often sits on a chair. Either before the game or a during a timeout, they walk toward the concourse atop the lower bowl. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. Heres when rain, snow will return. 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. ", Earlier in his life, it was easier for Toscano-Anderson to identity as Black because of his surroundings. She and Kansas City . Almost every off day the Warriors get, Toscano-Anderson guides his Honda east on Interstate 580, toward the streets where he learned the power of perseverance. To a man, they all said my father was not a man you wanted to cross. Although celebrities such as Wilt Chamberlain, Jesse Jackson, and Bill Cosby were friends of his, he never took on celebrity airs. The doctor asked Patricias family whom he should save, if it came down to a choice: mother or son. Sign me up! 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. Following a short stint as the Warriors general manager in 1983-84, Attles retired and became a regular fixture at Warriors home games. She did her best to provide for her children, but it never was easy to balance being a solo parent while maintaining a job in social work to support them. Over the next three years, he established himself as the countrys best player. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? Patricia wascalled into a parent-teacher conference with Toscano-Anderson's teacher, WillheminaAttles. 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. (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. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the . He was named player-coach of the Warriors midway through the 196970 season, succeeding George Lee. Patricia Toscano, mother of Golden State Warriors forward Juan Toscano-Anderson, stands outside his childhood home in Oakland. 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. He had planned to attend the party. 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. Do you understand me? he barked at the trembling guard, who apologized and slunk away. Im just ecstatic that hes one of the positive ones. Alvin Attles' wife she was my third grade teacher and I was playing soccer prior to that put me into a Warriors Camp. Patricia, still grieving the death of her younger brother, sank into a deep depression. "I feel like this situation is just destined," he said. I wont detail the rest, because I am not sure if my father is still protected under the statute of limitations. Connor Letourneau is a sports enterprise reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. 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. That message is easier to tell someone than it is to actually have the words stick. And so that was kind of humbling. Toward the bottom of the cup was a familiar name in green marker: Juan Toscano-Anderson, now a 6-foot-6, 213-pound backup forward for the Golden State Warriors who has become a fan favorite. 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. 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. Last season, the Warriors hosted Al Attles night during a regular-season game by playing a tribute video and handing out None of the coaches, none of my teammates they really made me feel a part of this. He needed an outlet.. He became the first Warriors Basketball Camp alumni to play for the Dubs, and the third product of the camps to play in the NBA. "I knew that I was Mexican. "I still did it all my way," Toscano-Anderson said. When his mom moved back to Castro Valley when he was in fifth grade, he refused to leave East Oakland. Alvin Attles, Actor: Inside Moves. Attles and his wife, Wilhelmina, reside in Oakland and have two adult children, Alvin III and Erica. Just as he was starting to contemplate life without basketball, he got a call from the Mexican national team, which wanted to fly him to Mexico City for a tryout. "And I always tried to embed that in them in it, and let them know that it didn't make them any less.". Though Patricia was three years older, she had viewed Juan as her protector. Five months later, one of his closest cousins, Eric Toscano, was shot and killed while celebrating his 18th birthday at his home on Ney Avenue in East Oakland. He plans on starting with getting his brother a car for his 16th birthday. Our house didnt burn; we were among the fortunate. For the next year, Patricia and her two youngest kids ping-ponged between relatives houses and budget motels, unsure where theyd sleep most nights. Some nights, he slept with his mom, Patricia Toscano, and sister, Ariana, in their silver sedan. (Staff Archives), Al Attles, former Golden State Warriors player and head coach, seen during an interview in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011. As a kid, Toscano-Anderson lived in five houses scattered across East Oakland. It got even harder when their home burned down when Juan was in third grade. Steph Curry takes encouraging step in lead-up to return, though timetable still unknown. Macario had bought the house in 1970 after moving to Oakland, where a couple of his sisters had settled, from the Mexican state of Michoacan. 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. 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. 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). That was my first basketball camp, its propelled me to where I am today.. He thanked Attles again Thursday . But Ridder added, his family is going to play it by ear on whether he attends. We will forever be grateful.. "And at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, even if I fail, I can always look myself in the mirror and say I did it Juan's way. 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. He believed he owed the franchise that believed so much in him. My mom explained that her day was exhausting, and she was tired. But there were complications. Hes had a fighting spirit since the moment he came into the world, Patricia said. Mrs. Attles told her not to worry about it. One day, my mother came home from a full day to find my father napping. He loved it. As a teacher, you spend so much time around these kids that you know what they need at various times, said Attles, who watches every Warriors game to cheer for Toscano-Anderson. Credit: Everything I envisioned as a young kid, when I met Ms. Attles and I had cornrows and I used to wear a Larry Hughes jersey to school, Im doing all of that right now. ", Download and subscribe to the Dubs Talk Podcast, Why JTA felt 'destined' to sign standard contract with Dubs, JTA sharesheartfelt moment with mom after contract signing. "I always wanted to walk onto that court donning an NBA jersey," Toscano-Anderson said. 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. pizza favorite shuts down after 13 years, plus more closings, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Once he slipped up. Attles, barely 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, came to be known as The Destroyer. I was 10 years old or so and ran around playing tag in the locker room with my cousins Bernard and Kevin. "I'm in tune with both of my heritages, and I love that about myself. 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. 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. When Al put that uniform on, he gave you everything he had, Barry said. Dont EVER touch my son. I knew who I was. I look forward to meeting so many idols from my youth. 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. I cant wait to see his Hall of Fame ring and Hall of Fame blazer. But it has been his standing in our family that has always held the most meaning for us. However, sometimes there is still an internal struggle figuring out where you belong and how you identify. It also unlocked his passion for basketball. Attles's team tried to repeat the following season, but they lost to the Phoenix Suns in the Conference Finals in seven games. Just make sure he gets there," Patricia recalls Mrs. Attles saying. 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, 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. I thought he changed the game the other night in the second quarter with his emotion. Two of his most famous knockouts were against far bigger men: 6-9 Zelmo Beaty and 6-8 Bob Ferry. And Toscano-Anderson used that as constant motivation to be at his best. (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. Youre running into all these different monsters, only theyre things like gangs and drive-by shootings.. He thanked Attles again Thursday, noting, "She just changed my life." So needless to say, basketball and the Bay Area are big parts of his life. Now, at 27, he is drawing comparisons to All-Star teammate Draymond Green for his court vision and energy. Many people see only his accomplishments as a player, coach, and executive. They swept them. One of those games included a USA-Mexico match. After visiting his mom in San Leandro and getting a trim at Phat Fades Barbershop on East 14th Street, he stops by his grandpas house on 95th Avenue. Without him, she felt lost. Some players play hungry; Juan plays like a guy whos starving, Warriors guard Mychal Mulder said. After averaging 3.8 points per game over his four-year career at Marquette, Toscano-Anderson didnt receive a single offer to play overseas, much less in the NBA. But my dads priorities even in a potentially life-changing situation, left a deep impression on me. It was quite the homecoming. As Toscano-Anderson said, money has never been the driving factor for him. Using her sisters address, Patricia transferred Juan to Montclair only a 15-minute drive from Elmhurst, but a world away in some respects. A film he wrote . It changed my life, it was really exciting. I know I am Black," Toscano-Anderson revealed. I know I am Mexican. 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. But my father never seriously entertained any of those offers. It wouldn't matter if he was living there or pursuing his basketball dreams elsewhere -- Oakland was always home. Many in the Elmhurst neighborhood know that, if they need a place to stay while they get their lives back on track, Toscano-Anderson and his mom will try to help provide accommodations. 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. 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. On March 2, 1962, he was the team's second-leading scorer with 17 points on the night Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. JTA incredibly surprises camper with free trip to Cancun camp. But I know once we return home,hell just put the ring and blazer somewhere in the back of his closet. Santa Cruz play-by-play announcer Kevin Dana noticed what he brought to the team early-on. Toscano-Anderson grew up attending Warriors' games at Oracle Arena. She missed doctors appointments. Then, one day in spring 2015, Attles received a small package containing a program from the Marquette University mens basketball program and a letter. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. Because there is nowhere better than home, playing for the home team. Klay Thompson subscribes. But hes home now and is getting a little bit stronger every day.. Back when Attles had a sharper memory, his consideration for others left a lasting impact. NBC Sports Bay Area celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by taking a trip south of the border to tell the story of Juan Toscano-Anderson's Mexican heritage, his experience playing professionally in Mexico and how his Oakland roots impacted his journey to the Warriors. He also paved the way for more racial equality within the NBA coaching profession. 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. Then, it also appears inevitable they will honor Attles. I remember walking to in the house one day to find Marvin Gaye sitting in our living room. I just didnt want him to go to the party. Attles joined the then-Philadelphia Warriors in 1960. Heres why California has seen so much active weather. Toscano-Anderson's family immigrated from Michoacan, Mexico, in the 1940s and immediately settled in Oakland. As Toscano-Anderson said, the team never treated him as a two-way player because of what he brought to the court. 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. A few lucky ones would be invited to training camp with a chance to join the roster. One half of one percent of people looking to play professional basketball will even get the opportunity to try out.. He made about $2,000 a month with Santa Cruz. But does that mean he was a Warriors fan growing up? She noticed that he seemed to be happiest when he was playing basketball in the schoolyard. I greatly anticipate my father becoming immortalized. I'm super proud of that.". The Bay Area will catch a break from winter storms for a couple days, but it wont last very long. My dad asked how he could help, and my mom suggested he help by giving her a break and cooking every now and then. Lamb chops.. He tries to impact the game the same way Green does -- by doing a bit of everything. Alvin, my father yelled, stopping me in my tracks. Every time he walked into that building, he got a taste of what he wanted his future to be. His #16 is retired by the Warriors, and even in his 70s he attended every home Warriors game. But at a certain point, the competition on the playground wasn't enough for him. Her younger brother, a nephew and two of her cousins were all shot and killed in East Oakland. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. "To be. Tahoe snow: Massive blizzard wreaks havoc on the Sierra, burying Another winter storm? After a long, winding, and non-traditional route, Juan Toscano-Anderson played his first minutes on the NBA hardwood in regular season action. 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. Toscano-Anderson was born and raised in East Oakland. After 3 hours of labor, Patricia gave birth to a 9-pound, 12-ounce baby. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? He listened to rap music and spent most of his time in "the hood.". Alvin Austin Attles Jr. (Destroyer. 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. 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. One night in July 1992, Macarios youngest son, Juan, had an argument with someone in the neighborhood. Ahead of the 2018-19 season, he decided to go to the open tryouts being hosted by the G League Santa Cruz Warriors. Outside of his family, most of the people he interacted with were Black. At first, it was about making the Santa Cruz Warriors during a tryout. That yellow, single-story house with a lime tree in the front yard has long been a family haven. Attles was the 39th overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft. After finishing fifth on the Warriors all-time games played list (711), he transitioned into coaching the organization. The team that selected him was the then Philadelphia Warriors. My fathers nickname was The Destroyer, because of his willingness to finish a fight. I dont care if he doesnt remember everything. Just being from Oakland, I feel like its embedded in me, he said in his Warriors Player Profile. [8] On February 7, 2015, Attles's number 22 was retired by North Carolina A&T, the first ever retired by the team. "But, with all that being said, I feel like I have done myself a disservice by trying to make people happy. Thurmond now serves as an Ambassador to the team and goes to 30 home games a season, with his wife Marci. "I think I have gone above and beyond to show that I accept who I am. By the time Juan was 14, Patricias goal for him was clear: college somewhere, anywhere and a life away from Oakland. 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'm just Juan, the biracial guy. BARTs second Transbay Tube could get quashed as planners scale back S.F. Steve (Kerr) has never made me feel like I was on a two-way. One would think, such brushes with greatness might change a person. "He just brings that energy and juice to every moment that he comes into the game. Attles's number 16 is retired by the Warriors and he attends every Warriors home game. 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. He's ready to pay it back to his mother -- the woman who gave him everything -- and pay it forward to his siblings. Similarly, Toscano-Anderson has always been a Warrior, since he was part of the organization's youth program in the third grade. In addition to sending Juan to the Warriors youth basketball camp, Attles connected him with the Oakland Rebels, a youth AAU program. In my case, I was raised in a predominantly white family and went to a predominantly white school. One family member who took them in for a period had a rule: Everyone needed to be out of the house by the time she left for work at 4 a.m. For the four hours before Patricia could drop her kids off at school, she watched as Juan read childrens books to his little sister and sang songs in their sedan. It's also in Mexico. "My relationship with my Mexican heritage was, it was different," Toscano-Anderson recently told me. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. Leave all that. Attles moved with the team to the Bay Area at the end of the 1962 season, playing until 1971. But on the blacktop at recess, Toscano-Anderson forgot all about the outside world. He won an NBA championship in 1975, which made him the second African-American coach to do so, joining Bill Russell. I heard that message on more Saturday mornings than I can recall. You know, just really taking on the competitive challenge that was needed.". 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On him in second grade grade teacher and I am at Warriors home game trembling guard, who and. Sister, Ariana, in the schoolyard Francisco Chronicle soccer prior to that put into... Of the people he interacted with were Black Another winter storm visit our Accessibility page college,..., Attles connected him with the team never treated him as a two-way celebrity airs alvin Attles wife she my!