Sure, he made up those scenarios in his head but didn't think they'd become reality. Thurmond now serves as an Ambassador to the team and goes to 30 home games a season, with his wife Marci. BARTs second Transbay Tube could get quashed as planners scale back S.F. 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 . The racket she caused made my father get up to ask her what was wrong. Get the family photo albums.. 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. At first, it was about making the Santa Cruz Warriors during a tryout. Juan Toscano-Anderson disputes fouling Jimmy Butler during a February game against the Heat at Chase Center. Connor Letourneau is a sports enterprise reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. I dont care if he doesnt remember everything. I remember walking to in the house one day to find Marvin Gaye sitting in our living room. Even his wife Wilhelmina is a tough competitor. As a kid, Toscano-Anderson lived in five houses scattered across East Oakland. A few lucky ones would be invited to training camp with a chance to join the roster. 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. "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. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. "We were houseless, we lived in a car, and from here and there to different places," Patricia said. [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. He's ready to pay it back to his mother -- the woman who gave him everything -- and pay it forward to his siblings. 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. "I'm sure there were some more opportunities out there for me, but this is home for me. None of this wouldve been possible without your love and support at a very difficult time in our lives, Patricia wrote. You hardly feel out of place. Playing in Santa Cruz was really cool also being back home, that was really cool, said Toscano-Anderson. You know, just really taking on the competitive challenge that was needed.". That's when fate intervened. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. (Staff Archives), Oakland, CA Circa 1980 - Al Attles on the sidelines of a Golden State Warriors Basktball game. Our house didnt burn; we were among the fortunate. Juan, he said, had a real future in basketball. 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. 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. Santa Cruz play-by-play announcer Kevin Dana noticed what he brought to the team early-on. "Enjoy this journey that basketball and life have taken me on. Collect, curate and comment on your files. [5] He intended to return to Newark and coach at his local junior high school when he was drafted by the Warriors. You can also get notified of new episodes on iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify, Stitcher and SoundCloud. 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. Twenty years ago, Juan Toscano-Anderson was initially introduced to basketball by his third grade teacher, Wilhelmina Attles, wife of Hall of Famer and Warriors legend Alvin Attles. He walks a little crookedly, and he struggles with his memory sometimes. 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. He joined the Oakland Rebels AAU team (now known as Team Lillard), and played for Castro Valley High School. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. "That's what makes me go.". I knew who I was. A mechanical engineer, he raised four kids as a single father and tried to shield them from the gang violence overtaking the surrounding streets. 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. Ever! (By Dino Vournas/Straff Archives), Oakland, CA January 23, 1980 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles rejoices. 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. (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. Whenever issues arose in the neighborhood, it was Juan who defended her. Her doctor told her she was having a girl. He thanked Attles again Thursday . I paint the city, man, Toscano-Anderson said. Juan often was late to school -- not because of rebellion, but because his motherwas spread thin -- and during class, he wasn't fully present. Al Attles was such a player, an enforcer. 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. Work to make people respect you, even if you cant do something for them.. 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. Alvin Attles' wife she was my third grade teacher and I was playing soccer prior to that put me into a Warriors Camp. (1999) and Black Magic (2008). By the time Juan was 14, Patricias goal for him was clear: college somewhere, anywhere and a life away from Oakland. A life-changing signature," Toscano-Anderson said in a Zoom press conference Thursday evening. But does that mean he was a Warriors fan growing up? I was just like, This is insane, Toscano-Anderson said. (Karl Mondon/Staff Archives), Oakland, CA January 31, 1989 - Golden State Warriors head coach Al Attles in his office. This happened once he transferred schools after having a knife pulled on him in second grade. Im all about winning. In 1991, Oakland suffered a devastating Hills fire. As Toscano-Anderson said, money has never been the driving factor for him. 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. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. His #16 is retired by the Warriors, and even in his 70s he attended every home Warriors game. One day, my mother came home from a full day to find my father napping. Dad got ejected, not Barry, and the Warriors completed the sweep. But at a certain point, the competition on the playground wasn't enough for him. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? They've given me an idea of where I wanted to be in my life and what I wanted to do.". All my life, my family and I have seen a Hall of Fame man. There, Al Attles often sits on a chair. At the end of the day, I accept that I am in a different category of my own. Like, let's do it, as opposed to just beating up on the kids at school and in my class all the time. It was quite the homecoming. Toscano-Andersons play at Santa Cruz was so strong in the 2018-19 season, the Warriors wanted to see more. On April 6, 2019, Attles was chosen as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. I love it here. 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. "I'm from the Bay Area," he said back in March before quickly revising himself,"Wait, I'm not from the Bay. 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. Steph Curry takes encouraging step in lead-up to return, though timetable still unknown. "I was enjoying basketball, and that's what I do this for, to just enjoy the game," Toscano-Anderson said. Toscano-Anderson was born and raised in East Oakland. I always knew hed be a statistic, Patricia said. He was just 19. 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.. But on the blacktop at recess, Toscano-Anderson forgot all about the outside world. He is one of the last living members of the franchise who dates to their time in Philadelphia. 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. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. And where else would he find out if he could play against the best than back home in the Bay Area? The bigger picture to my father was always his family, and the Warriors had become his family. HIs wise counsel, his unwavering loyalty, his great sense of humor, his deep compassion for others. As a player, coach and ambassador, however, Attles impressed the Warriors more with his substance over flash. After 3 hours of labor, Patricia gave birth to a 9-pound, 12-ounce baby. Toscano-Anderson still plays with that same mindset in the NBA. I'm just Juan, the biracial guy. 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. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! "I need to raise the bar. This is my fathers playful response when people ask how he feels about being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Now, at 27, he is drawing comparisons to All-Star teammate Draymond Green for his court vision and energy. 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. Al Attles Basketball Player #173216 Most Popular Boost Birthday November 7, 1936 Birthplace Newark , NJ Age 86 years old Birth Sign Scorpio About Point guard who starred for the Philadelphia/Golden State Warriors from 1960-1971, and coached the team from 1970-1983. They swept them. Al Attle's wife Wilhemina with children Erika and Alvin Jr. watch Game 4 of the championship series against the Washington Bullets May 25, 1975 (Photo by Terry Schmitt/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images), 1983 x 3296 px (6.61 x 10.99 in) - 300 dpi - 2 MB. A Warriors Outsiders segment was detailing Toscano-Andersons rise with Golden State. The family has always felt that my fathers basketball contributions have been Hall Of Fame worthy. When he was 7, his mom saved enough money to relocate to Castro Valley, a suburb free of many of her old neighborhoods hardships. As he walks past familiar liquor stores and laundromats, he is reminded of some childhood memories that shake him to this day. He is a graduate of Weequahic High School in Newark, New Jersey and North Carolina A&T State University. 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 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). Ive talked to the late Maurice Lucas, Lenny Wilkens, Oscar Robertson and countless other players from his era. Several teams came looking to throw big money at him, hoping they would lure him away with more than Mr. Meuli could offer. Courtesy of Juan Toscano-Anderson's family. Is Californias drought finally over? src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. She and Kansas City . 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. 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. Of a Golden State Warriors head coach Al Attles was such a player, an enforcer make people respect,... San Francisco Chronicle my father was always his family am in a Zoom press conference Thursday evening I was basketball... Hall of Fame worthy life, my family and I have seen a Hall of Fame worthy five houses across. But on the playground was n't enough for him at a very difficult in. Really cool also being back home in the NBA and laundromats, he is of! 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