GREENSBORO – Alvin “Al” Attles became the first North Carolina A&T men's basketball player in school history to have his number permanently retired on Saturday during a ceremony between the men's and women's basketball games against N.C. Central at Corbett Sports Center.
“This is a great day for North Carolina A&T men's basketball,” said A&T head coach Cy Alexander, who said he got a chance to watch Attles play at A&T because the Winston-Salem, N.C., native was a ball boy for Winston-Salem State growing up. “To have the opportunity to be in the presence of greatness, I'm just humbled, honored and happy.”
Attles will have his No. 22 jersey hanging from the rafters at Corbett. During his acceptance speech, the 1960 A&T graduate stressed education.
“Get your education,” Attles said as he turned to the current A&T men's basketball team lined along the baseline preparing to play N.C. Central, a game Attles played in when Central was called North Carolina College at Durham. “The basketball will take care of itself. “
After graduating from A&T with a degree in physical education and history, Attles later added a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction to his credentials from the University of San Francisco in 1983. His wife Wilhelmina was a school teacher.
“A&T has always been important to me because it allowed me to do two things,” Attles said. “It allowed me the opportunity to play basketball, but more importantly it allowed me to be a better person.
Attles said he came to A&T to play basketball. He thought after graduating in 1960 he would go back home to New Jersey and teach physical education. Instead, the Philadelphia Warriors drafted him in 1960. It began what is a 55-year relationship with the Warriors organization, a relationship that is still going strong today.
In 11 seasons with the Warriors, Attles played in two NBA Finals (1964 and '67) and played in one of the most storied games in NBA history. On March 2, 1962, Warriors teammate Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. In the same game, Attles scored 17 points and was 8-for-8 from the floor. As a Warrior, he averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 711 games played.
“I never thought I would get an opportunity to play professional basketball,” said Attles. “Basketball to me was something that allowed me to get an education. I have a plague in my house for having the highest academic average of any athlete that year. That to me was more important than the All-American plague that I have because I accomplished something I was told I would never be able to do – and that's graduate from college.”
Attles went on to spend 13 seasons as the Warriors coach, winning 557 games and leading the franchise to an NBA title in 1975. He also has served as general manager, vice president and team ambassador for the Warriors.
“The day I walked onto A&T's campus I made a commitment to my mother, my father, my high school coaches and my teachers. I was going to graduate in four years.”
