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 is the longest-serving coach in Warriors history, and also has the most wins in franchise history. Attles became an assistant coach in 1968, while still a player. At first, it was about making the Santa Cruz Warriors during a tryout. I'm super proud of that.". A Warriors Outsiders segment was detailing Toscano-Andersons rise with Golden State. (Staff Archives), Oakland, CA January 23, 1980 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles on the sidelines. (By Howard Erker / Oakland Tribune), Oakland, CA February 8, 1981 - Golden State Warriors basketball coach Al Attles. Following a short stint as the Warriors general manager in 1983-84, Attles retired and became a regular fixture at Warriors home games. Sign up for a free trial of Mark Medinas Warriors text messaging service* * *, I would go over and sit with him. Hes had a fighting spirit since the moment he came into the world, Patricia said. My father is a true example of hard work, commitment and unwavering integrity. Youre running into all these different monsters, only theyre things like gangs and drive-by shootings.. "I'm super excited, obviously for myself to be on the team and continue to play basketball, but this is a life-changing contract. Either before the game or a during a timeout, they walk toward the concourse atop the lower bowl. "I never imagined it being a Warrior jersey. Sure, he made up those scenarios in his head but didn't think they'd become reality. You can also get notified of new episodes on iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify, Stitcher and SoundCloud. It was very structured. To Toscano-Anderson, this meant that he too could compete against the talent in the G League. "I still did it all my way," Toscano-Anderson said. 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. My father is now 83 years old. pizza favorite shuts down after 13 years, plus more Bay Area S.F. He remembers me.. 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. Al Attles, who played with and coached Barry and is now a vice president in the organization, also has little to say. After that happened, I was just really aware that he needed me more than I had thought when he first came to school. 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. I started playing basketball in third grade. 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. Some nights, he slept with his mom, Patricia Toscano, and sister, Ariana, in their silver sedan. But at the same time, knowing he is about to be making the most money he has ever made in his life, is a nice thought. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. My fathers nickname was The Destroyer, because of his willingness to finish a fight. "I'm from the Bay Area," he said back in March before quickly revising himself,"Wait, I'm not from the Bay. 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 . The Warriors were longshots to beat the Washington Bullets. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. 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. My mom explained that her day was exhausting, and she was tired. I love it here. Even his wife Wilhelmina is a tough competitor. He is an awesome husband, a great father, a super uncle, the best Pop-Pop, and a one-of-a-kind friend. 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. I look forward to meeting so many idols from my youth. And so that was kind of humbling. So, the Warriors themselves, for what they are, they've given me dreams. He shot and killed Juan on 92nd Avenue. ", Earlier in his life, it was easier for Toscano-Anderson to identity as Black because of his surroundings. "He just brings that energy and juice to every moment that he comes into the game. Alvin, wake up! This happened once he transferred schools after having a knife pulled on him in second grade. Thompson: Known for his toughness, Warriors legend Al Attles' strength comes from his wife's love By Marcus Thompson II Apr 4, 2019 Al Attles, 82, is a champ in the kitchen. She and Kansas City . I don't know if it was my pride or selfishness, but I have no regrets.". 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. "It was like something to feed off of," the Warriors forwardsaid. Now on that standard contract, Juan is ready to prove that decision was the right one. His steaks were tender, his gumbo was excellent, and his breakfasts were legendary. "It's God-sent for sure. However, sometimes there is still an internal struggle figuring out where you belong and how you identify. I know I am Mexican. Hes here, and hes making his presence felt.. It was undoubtedly a full circle moment for both Toscano-Anderson and Attles, whose positive influence made an everlasting impact on the future of the Warriors forward. I get to enjoy everything I get to do with my family. It wouldn't matter if he was or wasn't a member of the team, he would always consider himself a Warrior. The Bay Area will catch a break from winter storms for a couple days, but it wont last very long. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Wilhelmina, the wife of Golden State legend Al Attles, could sense that something troubled her new student. My mom suggested I gather all of my fathers trophies and momentoes, so I grabbed as many as I could and began rushing back and forth to the car. * * *. Juan often was late to school -- not because of rebellion, but because his motherwas spread thin -- and during class, he wasn't fully present. Golden State Warriors | Sign me up! Rather than voice her displeasure about her day in comparison to his relatively short day, she instead took her frustration out on the pots and pans in the kitchen. In 29 games, Juan Toscano-Anderson has averaged 5.0 points on 52.8% shooting, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists for the Warriors. According to police, after a 17-year-old alleged gang member tried to crash the party and was turned away by Toscanos father, he returned a half hour later and opened fire on bystanders, killing Toscano and wounding three others. As Toscano-Anderson said, the team never treated him as a two-way player because of what he brought to the court. As a youth, Toscano-Anderson was a Warriors Basketball Camp participant, officially becoming the first Golden State Warriors player to have participated in the franchises youth basketball program. I was just like, This is insane, Toscano-Anderson said. [8] On February 7, 2015, Attles's number 22 was retired by North Carolina A&T, the first ever retired by the 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. Just make sure he gets there," Patricia recalls Mrs. Attles saying. As Toscano-Anderson said, money has never been the driving factor for him. Kerr wore a 1970s style suit similar to what Attles wore on the sideline. This is my fathers playful response when people ask how he feels about being inducted into the Hall of Fame. 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. But it didn't matter to Toscano-Anderson. 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. He honed his skills at Oakland rec centers and the Boys & Girls Club. He was one of the first African-American head coaches in the NBA. When he was 7, his mom saved enough money to relocate to Castro Valley, a suburb free of many of her old neighborhoods hardships. Some players play hungry; Juan plays like a guy whos starving, Warriors guard Mychal Mulder said. To her surprise, she was having a boy. Juan Toscano-Anderson, even as a child, always appreciated his mother, Patricia, raising him in a single-parent home. It changed my life, it was really exciting. (Ray Chavez/Staff Archives). I just, I was living in urban culture. Al Attles is a Warriors icon, but his wife, Wilhelmina, has been his rock for more than half a century. In other words, Toscano-Anderson made his NBA debut for a team that has been a continual thread throughout his life. But what he brings to this team extends far beyond what the stat sheet shows. He believed he owed the franchise that believed so much in him. "I feel like there's more that I need to do," Toscano-Anderson said. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. "Even with knowing that final part of the play, I would still make the same play 10 times out of 10," he said. 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. 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. "I'm sure there were some more opportunities out there for me, but this is home for me. I remember walking to in the house one day to find Marvin Gaye sitting in our living room. "But he's. That showed me like, oh, I got a long way to go to get better.". Heck, he wears it on his chest and back every time he puts on his Golden State Warriors jersey. Patricia wascalled into a parent-teacher conference with Toscano-Anderson's teacher, WillheminaAttles. My dad and my sister were my only regular exposure to other Black people. Patricia explained to Mrs. Attles that while she'd love for her son to be involved, but she simply didn't have the money for it. You hardly feel out of place. Barry, however, is less reticent, which is much of the reason he is an. Toscano-Anderson contains a similar fire to that of Draymond Green, who's considered the heartbeat of the team. She was aware of the strugglesthe Toscano family was facing and wanted to help, so she suggested Toscano-Andersonenrollin the Golden State Warriors youth camp. Attles was photographed at the team's downtown Oakland practice facility where a large sign honors the 74-75 Warriors. When Al put that uniform on, he gave you everything he had, Barry said. But at a certain point, the competition on the playground wasn't enough for him. "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. I knew theyd knock him right out, Patricia said. 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. "I can get in where I fit in in the hood, and I can go to a quinceaeraand speak Spanish. ", 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. It's a city made up of an incredibly diverse population, making those of us who tend to fall in minority races or are biracial feel more at peace. Steve (Kerr) has never made me feel like I was on a two-way. 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. 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. And most famously, so did Mike Riordan of the Washington Bullets. Over the next three years, he established himself as the countrys best player. When Patricias salary from teaching violence-prevention skills to juvenile offenders wasnt enough to cover the rent, she and her kids stayed with her father, Macario Toscano. 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. But he gave up a six-figure salary and a luxury apartment in Monterrey for the chance to join more than two dozen players at a tryout for a training-camp spot with Golden States G League affiliate. Ahead of the 2018-19 season, he decided to go to the open tryouts being hosted by the G League Santa Cruz Warriors. Courtesy of Juan Toscano-Anderson's family. I think it's the best of both worlds.". Thats what kind of jump started me playing basketball. (D. Ross Cameron/Staff Archives), Oakland, CA January 31, 1989 - Golden State Warriors manager Al Attles. So when Mrs. Attles stepped in and brought him to the Warriors' youth camp, it unlocked a new level of competitiveness in Toscano-Anderson. I love the Bay, I love the Warriors.". 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. 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. I was 10 years old or so and ran around playing tag in the locker room with my cousins Bernard and Kevin. She also helped him get on the Oakland Rebels' AAU basketball team. Toscano-Anderson was introduced to basketball in the third grade at Oakland's Stonehurst Elementary School by his then-teacher Wilhelmina Attles, who is a former Upsala College basketball star and also the wife of Warriors legend and Hall of Famer Al Attles. Now that I have this opportunity to play for the Warriors what I plan to do is just be me: be a great teammate, be the hardest playing guy on the floor, whatever it takes to win. Al Attles was such a player, an enforcer. He initially declined before accepting and going to training camp.[6]. He was named player-coach of the Warriors midway through the 196970 season, succeeding George Lee. Toscano-Anderson's family immigrated from Michoacan, Mexico, in the 1940s and immediately settled in Oakland. I dont take any of that for granted., Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Around this time, a student in Juans third-grade class at Stonehurst Elementary School in East Oakland threatened to stab him. He played college basketball at North Carolina A&T, and was selected 39th overall in the 1960 NBA draft. Toscano-Anderson would require resilience, a change in the NBAs style of play and some luck to go from a seldom-used college reserve to a rotation player with the Warriors. While youre asleep, there is someone on the other side of the world trying to figure out a way to steal your ideas and take your money.. Attles coached the Warriors until 1983, compiling a 557518 regular-season record (588548 including playoffs) with six playoff appearances in 14 seasons. My father is as humble as they come. 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. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? My dad never looked for trouble, but he would fight for his family. At that time, I could see that Juan loved sports. 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. The court was renamed as Al Attles Court. "I always wanted to walk onto that court donning an NBA jersey," Toscano-Anderson said. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. It's another experience I share in common with him, often being told I acted or sounded "too white" to be Black. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? "I feel like this situation is just destined," he said. Even then, he knew that suburbia didnt suit him. "Like, wow, I get to beat all of these kids? JTA incredibly surprises camper with free trip to Cancun camp. After the Warriors went 48-34 in the 1974-75 season, Attles coached the Warriors to their first NBA championship in 1975 by upsetting the Washington Bullets in a four-game Finals sweep. 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. She just changed my life, Toscano-Anderson shared. Aug 15, 2022. There were times people told Toscano-Anderson he made the wrong decision by going to the G League. The lone constant during a journey that included stops in Mexico and Santa Cruz was his unparalleled effort. There was a sadness in his eyes. (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. On the occasion of his fathers induction into, 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, On the occasion of his fathers induction into the basketball Hall of Fame, a son pays tribute, 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. One of those games included a USA-Mexico match. It was from Patricia Toscano. But all it took was a little encouragement from the wife of a Warriors Hall of Famer to turn him onto the sport. His top choice was Cal in nearby Berkeley, but his mother, desperate for him to get as far away from East Oaklands streets as possible, persuaded him to pick the Wisconsin school. I still remember that camp like it was last week Warriors Camp meant a lot. One night in July 1992, Macarios youngest son, Juan, had an argument with someone in the neighborhood. Fell in love. Attles also played on the Warriors' 1967 team that lost to Chamberlain's 6813 Philadelphia 76ers in an evenly matched, six-game championship series. He put everything he had into it, said Warriors guard Rick Barry, who both players with Attles (1965-67) and played for Attles (1974-78). It was quite the homecoming. Steph Curry takes encouraging step in lead-up to return, though timetable still unknown. He thanked Attles again Thursday . (Jane Tyska/Staff Archives), Former Golden State Warriors head coach Al Attles attends a press conference to introduce the team's new draft picks at the team's headquarters in Oakland, Calif., Monday, June 27, 2011. We will forever be grateful.. Encouraged by her reaction, my father soon became the primary cook in our family. Toscano-Anderson grew up attending Warriors' games at Oracle Arena. Though it is uncommon for NBA players to wear numbers that high, the 95 carried significant meaning for him: Toscano-Andersons grandfather emigrated to Oakland from Mexico and bought house on 95th Avenue and A Street in East Oakland. Steph Curry could return during Warriors next road trip, per reports Al Attles is best known as a Basketball Player. "I'm in tune with both of my heritages, and I love that about myself. His career was built on maximizing his ability and working to become efficient in areas he wasnt comfortable. They've given me an idea of where I wanted to be in my life and what I wanted to do.". But as of Thursday morning, Toscano-Anderson is an official member of the Warriors -- and stillan Oakland resident -- as he signed a standard, multiyear contract with Golden State. Follow Bay Area News Group Warriors beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. I just want to contribute to my teams success, he said. Patricia was a single mother of four. I always knew hed be a statistic, Patricia said. My dad paid the boy a visit. Toscano-Andersons play at Santa Cruz was so strong in the 2018-19 season, the Warriors wanted to see more. When he is not watching the game, Attles is catching up with a former Warriors teammate or fan. The voice of the iconic Bill King rang out. 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. A week before Juan was killed, Patricia had learned she was pregnant with her second child. In addition to becoming a hero of sorts to Mexicans and Mexican Americans for being the only active NBA player of Mexican descent, Toscano-Anderson has become an icon to Oaklanders, many of them still upset that the Warriors left their home of 47 years for San Francisco. But just three months after Patricia moved in, the house she was renting burned down in an electrical fire in the middle of the night while Juan and Ariana were at a slumber party. But my father never seriously entertained any of those offers. After finishing fifth on the Warriors all-time games played list (711), he transitioned into coaching the organization. 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. She noticed that he seemed to be happiest when he was playing basketball in the schoolyard. 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 there were complications. 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. In my case, I was raised in a predominantly white family and went to a predominantly white school. You don't have to look deep to figure out why the Warriors decided to convert Toscano-Anderson's two-way contract to a standard one. The racket she caused made my father get up to ask her what was wrong. Toscano-Anderson penned a personal note on the jersey reading: I wouldnt be wearing this jersey if it werent for you, Toscano-Anderson humbly shared with her. It's never an easy critique to hear. "My relationship with my Mexican heritage was, it was different," Toscano-Anderson recently told me. He had the shooting touch of a jackhammer, but no team ever traded Attles for cash and a fist to be named later, probably because if intimidation was what you wanted, it was clearly better to fight with Attles than against him. Stephen Curry has not only led a Warriors resurgence since entering the league, he has changed the game with his long-distance shooting. 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 teacher at Montclair Elementary School in Oakland. 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. Alvin Attles III is a writer, a filmmaker and the son of basketball Hall of Famer Al Attles. The family has always felt that my fathers basketball contributions have been Hall Of Fame worthy. After being scouted and recruited, he wound up playing at Marquette University where his injuries cost him playing time through his four years. "Of course we had family, but you know, who wants to go to their family with their children? Heres why California has seen so much active weather. 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. But it has been his standing in our family that has always held the most meaning for us. It wasn't until he was a bit older that he made a concerted effort to get more in touch with his Hispanic roots. None of the coaches, none of my teammates they really made me feel a part of this. I just love to compete," Toscano-Andersonsaid. HIs wise counsel, his unwavering loyalty, his great sense of humor, his deep compassion for others. Juan Toscano-Anderson disputes fouling Jimmy Butler during a February game against the Heat at Chase Center. Get the family photo albums.. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? That got pretty boring after doing every day at recess. But after he came home from practice earlier that day complaining of knee pain, Patricia had given him Tylenol with Codeine. Even when he was not at his healthiest, Attles still attended Warriors home games in recent seasons. 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.