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. To her surprise, she was having a boy. Im all about winning. She and Kansas City . At one point, the doctor thought they might not be able to save either one of us. But what he brings to this team extends far beyond what the stat sheet shows. Encouraged by her reaction, my father soon became the primary cook in our family. "Juan didn't know either. I am excited to be in Springfield. 95 -- to represent 95th Avenue in East Oakland. Doing these things for his family, and simply the time he gets to spend with them, are the biggest things Toscano-Anderson had to sacrifice when he went and played overseas. Attles joined the then-Philadelphia Warriors in 1960. 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. Attles was known as "The Destroyer" due to his defensive specialities along with once punching a player in the jaw. "I feel like this situation is just destined," he said. His career was built on maximizing his ability and working to become efficient in areas he wasnt comfortable. (By Robert Stinnett / Oakland Tribune), Al Attles was the head coach for the Golden State Warriors during their only championship in the 1974-75 season. For the next year, Patricia and her two youngest kids ping-ponged between relatives houses and budget motels, unsure where theyd sleep most nights. For the rest of the school year, she made herself available to Juan anytime he needed her. I was 10 years old or so and ran around playing tag in the locker room with my cousins Bernard and Kevin. But after he came home from practice earlier that day complaining of knee pain, Patricia had given him Tylenol with Codeine. 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. It never happened because The Destroyer rushed to Barrys defense, leisure suit and all. 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. Toscano-Andersons performance at the 2015 FIBA Americas championship was enough to land him a contract from Mexicos top league. I paint the city, man, Toscano-Anderson said. 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. I greatly anticipate my father becoming immortalized. The Bay Area will catch a break from winter storms for a couple days, but it wont last very long. Toscano-Anderson didn't receive interest from any NBA teams coming out of college. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the 1960 NBA draft. 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. Especially as he set out to start his career. Al Attles, NBA player. Alvin Attles wife she was my third grade teacher and I was playing soccer prior to that put me into a Warriors Camp. Because of those various roles, Attles is one of six Warriors players to have their jersey retired. Attles was never a star in the league, yet he was an . Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? Although his role has greatly changed, we now happily assume the role of caregivers to the man who has given so much to so many. Attles also played on the Warriors' 1967 team that lost to Chamberlain's 6813 Philadelphia 76ers in an evenly matched, six-game championship series. Dad got ejected, not Barry, and the Warriors completed the sweep. Al Attles is a Warriors icon, but his wife, Wilhelmina, has been his rock for more than half a century. 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. Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast, El Viaje: JTA details his journey in proudly embracing Mexican roots. The former Warriors general manager, coach and player hadn't been around much at all this season because of health issues. 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. Credit: 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. 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.. Al Attles is best known as a Basketball Player. We will forever be grateful.. 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. "Like, wow, I get to beat all of these kids? 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 . But hey, hes here and Im here. At that time, I could see that Juan loved sports. . Aug 15, 2022. Thats what kind of jump started me playing basketball. "That's what makes me go.". Although celebrities such as Wilt Chamberlain, Jesse Jackson, and Bill Cosby were friends of his, he never took on celebrity airs. [5] He intended to return to Newark and coach at his local junior high school when he was drafted by the Warriors. He also serves as a team ambassador. 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. The Bay Area is catching a break from winter storms. Patricia wascalled into a parent-teacher conference with Toscano-Anderson's teacher, WillheminaAttles. Before Fame He made about $2,000 a month with Santa Cruz. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. 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. In an effort to recognize the meaningful impact Mrs. Attles had on his life, Toscano-Anderson surprised his former teacher at her home with a framed, autographed jersey. As Toscano-Anderson said, money has never been the driving factor for him. Now Toscano-Anderson is poised to become the first Oakland-born player since the early 1970s to stick on the Warriors roster for three straight seasons. Heck, he wears it on his chest and back every time he puts on his Golden State Warriors jersey. "To be. "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. I wont detail the rest, because I am not sure if my father is still protected under the statute of limitations. I tried to provide a shoulder, just extra love and attention.. 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 and his wife, Wilhelmina, reside in Oakland and have two adult children, Alvin III and Erica. It also unlocked his passion for basketball. 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. Patricia Toscano, who grew up in a neighborhood known to locals as the killing zone, often worried that her four kids were destined to become grim statistics. The team that selected him was the then Philadelphia Warriors. They swept them. 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. 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. (By Dino Vournas/Straff Archives), Oakland, CA January 23, 1980 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles rejoices. He is one of the last living members of the franchise who dates to their time in Philadelphia. It was from Patricia Toscano. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the . Fell in love. He rushed from his interview and was soon nose -to-nose with the policeman. Playing in Santa Cruz was really cool also being back home, that was really cool, said Toscano-Anderson. Friends told her that he had blossomed into an all-state player at Castro Valley High School. He impressed enough that he remained with the team up through the Dubs preseason games, being amongst the first players to grace the courts at Chase Center. 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. San Francisco is at its most unaffordable point in at least a decade, S.F. A mechanical engineer, he raised four kids as a single father and tried to shield them from the gang violence overtaking the surrounding streets. But my dads priorities even in a potentially life-changing situation, left a deep impression on me. I'm just Juan, the biracial guy. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. His steaks were tender, his gumbo was excellent, and his breakfasts were legendary. You can waste them both.. Toscano-Anderson could have been among them. Mrs. Attles, as Toscano-Anderson called her, encouraged the young boy to join the Warriors' youth basketball program, and also helped him get on the Oakland Rebels AAU basketball team. (Ron Riesterer / Oakland Tribune Staff Archives), Oakland, CA February 13, 1976 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles at a press conference. I'm super proud of that.". pizza favorite shuts down after 13 years, plus more closings, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). 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. Sign up for a free trial of Mark Medinas Warriors text messaging service* * *, I would go over and sit with him. "To just have some better competition, there were a lot of kids there that were older than me, and that were actually pursuing basketball and had game. 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 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. What Attles didnt know then was that Toscano-Anderson was homeless. Heres when rain, snow will return. It got even harder when their home burned down when Juan was in third grade. I love it here. But I never really indulged in the culture, per se. Follow Bay Area News Group Warriors beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. As a kid, Toscano-Anderson lived in five houses scattered across East Oakland. Ahead of the 2018-19 season, he decided to go to the open tryouts being hosted by the G League Santa Cruz Warriors. Attles worked with the PTA to raise money to replace all the stolen gifts. "I'm from the Bay Area," he said back in March before quickly revising himself,"Wait, I'm not from the Bay. The Warriors were longshots to beat the Washington Bullets. Im just ecstatic that hes one of the positive ones. I ran into the house and asked my mom what I should rescue from the house. 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. 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. He thanked Attles again Thursday, noting, "She just changed my life." My mom explained that her day was exhausting, and she was tired. I just, I was living in urban culture. He poured his heart, body and soul into it., WARRIORS HQ PODCAST: Be sure to visit our podcast page at mercurynews.com. When Al put that uniform on, he gave you everything he had, Barry said. Attles, one of Montclairs only African American teachers, felt an immediate kinship with Juan, who is half-Black, half-Mexican. It wasn't until he was a bit older that he made a concerted effort to get more in touch with his Hispanic roots. In 1991, Oakland suffered a devastating Hills fire. Her doctor told her she was having a girl. A month after Juan enrolled at Montclair, Attles learned from a member of the parent-teacher association that Juan had been staying at a family members house over the holidays when an intruder shot and killed one of Juans relatives, then stole the Christmas presents from under the tree. "I'm super excited, obviously for myself to be on the team and continue to play basketball, but this is a life-changing contract. * * *. Obviously a smart, smart player. He made things easy and simplified things, Ray said. And playing alongside players such as Steph Curry and Draymond Green and seeing the championship trophies the Warriors won without him is constantly humbling him and serves as reminders as to what level he wants to reach. Attles was the 39th overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft. In elementary school, he was encouraged to play basketball by his former teacher Wilhelmina Attles, wife of Warriors legend and Hall of Famer Al Attles. [9] He was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. But he committed himself, learned and he became great. I love who I am. Even though I know what the situation is, it doesnt matter, said former Warriors forward Clifford Ray. . He took over as player-coach for the last season of his career, and remained as head coach until 1983 (save for 21 games in 1980). But when Toscano-Anderson first arrived at Mrs. Attles classroom in cornrows and a Larry Hughes replica Warriors jersey, he was an 8-year-old from the urban flatlands of East Oakland in a room filled with children from the more affluent Oakland hills. Point guard who starred for the Philadelphia/Golden State Warriors from 1960-1971, and coached the team from 1970-1983. It wouldn't matter if he was or wasn't a member of the team, he would always consider himself a Warrior. That is the Oakland seeping out of Toscano-Anderson's pores. 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. He thanked Attles again Thursday, noting, "She just changed my life." "He's been in and out of the hospital in the last few recent months," Ridder said. Courtesy of Juan Toscano-Anderson's family. Golden State Warriors | She also helped him get on the Oakland Rebels AAU basketball team. Toscano-Andersons play at Santa Cruz was so strong in the 2018-19 season, the Warriors wanted to see more. Connor Letourneau is a sports enterprise reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Attles was photographed at the team's downtown Oakland practice facility where a large sign honors the 74-75 Warriors. Toscano-Anderson grew up in a similar situation, only with his Mexican roots. That was my first basketball camp, its propelled me to where I am today.. "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 . (1999) and Black Magic (2008). She named him Juan. That message is easier to tell someone than it is to actually have the words stick. Once I leave Chase Center, I can drive across that bridge and go straight home and celebrate all of this with my family. He is an actor, known for Inside Moves (1980), The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame. After questioning his abilities, it is only fitting that Oakland native Toscano-Anderson found his way into the NBA by coming back to the Bay Area. In addition to sending Juan to the Warriors youth basketball camp, Attles connected him with the Oakland Rebels, a youth AAU program. 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. Oakland is no stranger to people with mixed backgrounds. I always knew hed be a statistic, Patricia 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. He retired as a player after the 197071 season, and stayed on as head coach, guiding the Rick Barry-led Warriors to the 1975 NBA championship over the heavily favored Washington Bullets, making him the second African-American coach to win an NBA title (the first was Bill Russell). On Friday against Washington, players wore shooting shirts featuring Attles' likeness. With Ray likening Attles on-court intensity to a combination of Dennis Rodman or Russell Westbrook, the Warriors leaned on Attles to make hustle plays and knock out his opponents. The boy bothering my aunt found that out the hard way. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Outside of his family, most of the people he interacted with were Black. Toscano-Anderson contains a similar fire to that of Draymond Green, who's considered the heartbeat of the team. She noticed that he seemed to be happiest when he was playing basketball in the schoolyard. After 3 hours of labor, Patricia gave birth to a 9-pound, 12-ounce baby. But all it took was a little encouragement from the wife of a Warriors Hall of Famer to turn him onto the sport. The lone constant during a journey that included stops in Mexico and Santa Cruz was his unparalleled effort. As Toscano-Anderson said, the team never treated him as a two-way player because of what he brought to the court. But it has been his standing in our family that has always held the most meaning for us. It was very structured. My dad never looked for trouble, but he would fight for his family. As the years passed, Attles often wondered what had become of the meek boy with the cornrows and the Larry Hughes jersey. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. That yellow, single-story house with a lime tree in the front yard has long been a family haven. Around this time, a student in Juans third-grade class at Stonehurst Elementary School in East Oakland threatened to stab him. So needless to say, basketball and the Bay Area are big parts of his life. Attles was the second NBA black coach after Bill Russell. After being scouted and recruited, he wound up playing at Marquette University where his injuries cost him playing time through his four years. He honed his skills at Oakland rec centers and the Boys & Girls Club. I hit all my spots.. Toscano-Anderson was born and raised in East Oakland. Juan, he said, had a real future in basketball. 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. I started playing basketball in third grade. "I need to raise the bar. 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