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A Member of 1975 GSW Championship Team Recalls the Greatness of Coach Al Attles

Next year marks the 50th Anniversary of the 1975 Golden State Warriors NBA Championship. Led by coach Al Attles, this team brought the first NBA championship to the Bay Area. A graduate of North Carolina A&T, an HBCU institution, Attles became the NBA’s first full-time African American coach.

Published

4 months ago

August 19, 2024

Oakland Post

At the end of the day, this was a basketball team that succeeded against all odds to become NBA World Champions. Never recognized, rarely mentioned, and playing during a racially and socially turbulent time in Oakland and the Bay Area, our 1974-75 Warriors team had no chance to have a successful season were it not for the foundations and strategic brilliance laid out by Al Attles.

By Charles Dudley

Next year marks the 50^th Anniversary of the 1975 Golden State Warriors NBA Championship. Led by coach Al Attles, this team brought the first NBA championship to the Bay Area. A graduate of North Carolina A&T, an HBCU institution, Attles became the NBA’s first full-time African American coach.

He also became the first full-time African American head coach in history to win an NBA Championship. On the eve of this 50^th anniversary, I would like to share what Coach Attles meant to myself and my teammates.

Al was a force of nature, and it is reflected in his accomplishments during his 50-year career tenure with GSW starting with the 1960-61 season when he was drafted the 39^th overall pick by the then Philadelphia Warriors. The Philadelphia Warriors were the only professional team Al has ever been associated with.

He played 11 seasons and coached six playoff teams, including the 1975 champions. In 2014, he was the recipient of the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, the Basketball Hall of Fame’s most prestigious honor aside from enshrinement.

There are only seven surviving players from the 1974-75 season. Those no longer with us are: Steve Bracey, Charles Johnson, Phil Smith, Derek Dickey and Bill Bridges. Assistant Coach Joe Roberts, who played an integral part in the team’s success during the 1974-75 season, recently passed away.

The remaining players are this writer, Clifford Ray, George Johnson, Rick Barry, Jamaal Wilkes, Jeff Mullins, and our trainer, Dick D’Doliva. Over time, the gratitude and love for Coach Attles has been deeply felt and to this day is embodied in what is engraved on our Championship rings – “Togetherness.”

Here is what Al meant to all of us. More than a coach, he was a tremendous leader, mentor, innovator and made all 12 of us feel important. On the bench, at practice or on the road and even when the chips were down, Al never swore, never belittled or yelled at any of us in front of each other.

No one ever wanted to disappoint him, everyone accepted their respective roles, and we knew what we had to do to achieve long-term success. That is where the slogan “Strength in Numbers” began for us. He taught us how to set goals and how to achieve them. An honorable man, he never went back on anything he promised.

At the time, we were living in a basketball world that refused to see us, recognize us, or want us to be a part of professional basketball because of the makeup of our team, which consisted of 10 African American players and two white players. In 1975, this was not the norm in the NBA. No matter what was going on outside the arena, Al always kept us focused on the prize. “We win together or we lose together.” Importantly, he created the foundation for our individual successes after our basketball careers had ended.

Al saw something special in all the players on the 1974-75 team. It started with training camp that season in Hawaii and culminated in Game Four of the NBA finals against the Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards).

Attles also saw something special in Joe Roberts, who became the Warriors first assistant coach. His trust in Roberts paid dividends when he had to take over for Al in Game Four of the NBA Finals.

At the start of the 1975 NBA Playoff Finals, Attles’ team was being vilified by the media as being the worst ever to reach the finals and shouldn’t have been there at all. At a team meeting and Al said to the players “I don’t know if we can beat this team in four straight, but I think we can beat them in five.”

The word was that the Bullets were supposed beat us in four straight games. Everyone heard that prediction, took it to heart and won the first three games. In Game Four, it came down to the wire, but with the belief in togetherness, we beat the Washington Bullets 96-95. In that four-game sweep, the Warriors became only the third team in NBA history to do so. To date, there have only been nine teams to accomplish this.

His coolness under pressure and confidence in his players resulted in this victory that saved professional basketball in the Bay Area; and his leadership in forming a racially diverse team laid the foundation for how the NBA looks today.

Speaking on behalf of my team and myself, I’m very honored to have been coached under “Mr. Warrior,” Al Attles.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

3 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Biden’s Legacy Secured with Record-Setting Black Judicial Appointments

His record surpasses previous efforts by his predecessors. President Jimmy Carter appointed 37 Black judges, including seven Black women. In stark contrast, Donald Trump’s first term resulted in only two Black women appointed out of 234 lifetime judicial nominations. The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Published

4 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

iStockphoto.

By Stacy M. Brown
WI Senior Writer

President Joe Biden’s commitment to diversifying the federal judiciary has culminated in a historic achievement: appointing 40 Black women to lifetime judgeships, the most of any president in U.S. history.

Biden has appointed 62 Black judges, cementing his presidency as one focused on promoting equity and representation on the federal bench.

The White House said Biden’s efforts show a broader commitment to racial equity and justice.

Meanwhile, Trump has vowed to dismantle key civil rights protections, including the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“Having the Black woman’s experience on the federal bench is extremely important because there is a different kind of voice that can come from the Black female from the bench,” Delores Jones-Brown, professor emeritus at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told reporters.

Lena Zwarensteyn of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights told reporters that these district court judges are often the first and sometimes the final arbiters in cases affecting healthcare access, education equity, fair hiring practices, and voting rights.

“Those decisions are often the very final decisions because very few cases actually get heard by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Zwarensteyn explained.

Biden’s nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court further reflects his commitment to judicial diversity. Jackson became the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court.

Patrick McNeil, spokesperson for the Leadership Conference, pointed out that over half of Biden’s Black female judicial appointees have backgrounds as civil rights attorneys and public defenders, experience advocates consider essential for a balanced judiciary.

Meanwhile, Congress remains divided over the expansion of federal judgeships. Legislation to add 66 new judgeships—approved unanimously by the Senate in August—stalled in the GOP-controlled House until after the election. House Republicans proposed distributing the new judgeships over the next decade, giving three administrations a say in appointments. President Biden, however, signaled he would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., argued the delay was a strategic move to benefit Trump’s potential return to office. “Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to expand the power of the presidency and giving him 25 new judges to appoint gives him one more tool at his disposal,” Nadler said.

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A Student-Run Group Provides Critical Support Services to Underserved Residents

Those visiting The Suitcase Clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers. Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

Published

5 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

UC Berkeley Law Students help a clinic visitor with legal advice at their Tuesday night services. The Clinic offers a variety of resources, including medical, to those in the community who have little access to these services. Photo by Magaly Muñoz

Part One

By Magaly Muñoz

Every Tuesday evening, the dining hall of First Presbyterian Church fills up with dozens of people eating, laughing and moving from table to table, receiving much-needed services from UC Berkeley students – just a few blocks away from the university’s campus.

Individuals seeking support services can be found in this multi-stationed room on the south end of the church talking to law students, student case managers, or receiving medical attention in a corner by healthcare professionals.

This weekly event is hosted by Cal students through a volunteer-run program called The Suitcase Clinic.

The clinic, founded in 1989, was intended to offer free resources to underserved communities in Berkeley and surrounding cities. The majority of the clinic’s clientele are unhoused or low-income people looking for extra support.

Those visiting the clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers.

Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

During their tenure in the program, many of the students say they become strong advocates for homelessness rights.

Visitors of the Suitcase Clinic can receive haircuts and foot washing by student volunteers every Tuesday evening. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re also standing in solidarity with them. So, it’s not saying, ‘I’m going to help you, but I’m also going to stand with you,’” Golchini said.

Student volunteers get extensive training prior to working directly with clients. Those interested have to take a semester-long class to become versed in areas such as outreach, intersectionality, how to interact with unhoused people, how to sign people up for social services. and more.

Volunteers then get to pick from three different clinics: General, Women’s, or Youth and LGBTQ+.

The General Clinic is the most popular among visiting residents, while Women’s and Youth/LQBTQ+ have more specialized services for attendees.

The Women’s Clinic has many of the similar services to General, but also includes nail painting, childcare, and massages.

The Youth and LGBTQ+ Clinic offers a safe space for young people navigating living on the streets, with services that include housing referrals, wellness and recreation classes and employment resources.

Golchini explained that it’s important for them to keep these clinics separate because the different demographics experience poverty and homelessness differently than those who visit the General Clinic.

Suitcase Clinic student workers posing for a photo with a frequent clinic attendee. The Clinic is open to Berkeley unhoused and low-income residents who need medical or legal service, or a hot meal. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re able to provide spaces where people can come in and feel safe and not feel like they’re constantly worried that something’s going to happen to them,” she said.

An outreach team also visits encampments every other Saturday in the Berkeley area to provide hygiene kits and encourage people to visit the in-person clinic, if possible.

However, Golchini said engagement has been low for some time now due to a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allows cities to ban and cite people for sleeping on the streets.

She said a lot of their clientele got displaced to other cities over time, making it difficult to stay in contact with the services the Clinic was providing for them.

But that hasn’t slowed down the students at the Clinic, if anything, it has pushed them to do more for the community they serve.