The Golden State Warriors lost on legend on Wednesday, as Hall of Famer Alvin Attles sadly passed away at the age of 87, the team announced.

The Golden State Warriors mourn the loss of franchise legend Alvin Attles, who passed away yesterday at the age of 87. Alvin leaves behind a profound legacy within the game of basketball and the Bay Area community, but especially as a family man and humanitarian. We mourn his…

11:30 PM · Aug 21, 20241.0KReplyRead 41 replies

Attles was drafted 39th overall in the fifth round of the 1960 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia Warriors. After making his debut on October 28, 1960, the six-foot point guard went on to enjoy 11 seasons with the Warriors organization. He was even a part of their transition from Philadelphia to San Francisco ahead of the 1962-63 season.

During his time with the Warriors, Attles averaged 8.9 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 45.1 percent from the floor. He played in a total of 711 games. As the point guard of the team, Attles helped lead the Warriors to the 1964 and 1967 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, they lost both times in the championship series.

What makes Attles so special to Warriors lore is that he has been affiliated with the organization since he was drafted in 1960. The 60-plus years Attles spent with the Warriors represent the longest stint with a single franchise for any one person in league history. The legend is also one of six players in franchise history to have his number retired (No. 16), along with Rick Berry (No. 24), Wilt Chamberlain (No. 13), Tom Meschery (No. 14), Chris Mullin (No. 17), and Nate Thurmond (No. 42).

Interestingly enough, Attles had the rare honor of becoming a player/coach for the Warriors during his final two seasons before retiring. In total, Attles coached the Warriors in 14 different seasons, amassing a regular-season coaching record of 557-518, the most wins by a head coach in franchise history. He was also the coach during the Warriors’ first championship run in 1975.