The Golden State Warriors lost a legend on Wednesday after it was announced that Hall of Famer Al Attles had passed away at the age of 87. According to reports, the former Warriors player turned championship-winning coach had been in hospice care over the past several weeks.
Dubs superstar Stephen Curry took to Instagram not long after the news broke to issue a heartfelt statement on the passing of the Warriors icon.
“Very sad day for the whole Bay Area and all Warriors fans,” he wrote. “Al Attles was a pioneer of professionalism, courage, competitiveness and blazed his own trail every step of the way. His DNA is all over this organization. Forever in our hearts and the rafters #16”
There is probably no better player to come out with such a statement than Curry himself, who like Attles, has been to the pinnacle of the NBA.
Attles, who was drafted by the then-Philadelphia Warriors in 1960, played his entire 11-year career with the Dubs. He suited up alongside the great Wilt Chamberlain, among others, and was actually the second-highest scorer (17) when Chamberlain dropped 100 points on March 2, 1962.
In 1975, as the head coach of the Rick Barry-led Warriors, Attles became only the second African American to coach his team to an NBA championship.
As Curry so eloquently put it, Attles is a trailblazer who left a lasting legacy on the Warriors organization.
He will be missed.
