The Warriors will honor Al Attles at Friday night’s game. Steve Kerr says he’ll dress up like Attles in a 1970s suit. pic.twitter.com/V8g1KZZoyd
— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) October 26, 2017
OAKLAND–On Friday evening at Oracle Arena, the Golden State Warriors plan to honor one of the franchise’s greats.
The Warriors will have video tributes, commemorative bobbleheads and other tokens of appreciation for former point guard Al Attles, but Steve Kerr plans to top all of it.
Golden State’s fourth-year head coach will wear a 1970s-styled suit on the sidelines on Friday evening when the Warriors take on the Wizards, and pay homage to a man who was both a player and a coach for the franchise during the 1960s and 1970s.
“I didn’t find it,” Kerr said of the suit. “We were lucky enough to find a clothier here in town who donated an Al Attles outfit for me for tomorrow night.”
Attles is in the hospital and will be unable to attend Friday evening’s contest, but a Warriors’ official confirmed Thursday that several of Attles’ family members will be in attendance to honor the Golden State legend.
“We’re honoring Al tomorrow night,” Kerr said. “Unfortunately he won’t be here, he’s okay but he’s in the hospital for a couple of days. His family will represent him tomorrow. There will be videos on the board, recollections of Al and for your entertainment and the fans, I will be dressing up in an Al Attles suit. A 70s suit tomorrow night.”
Attles’ No. 16 is retired by Golden State, and he was the last head coach before Kerr to lead the franchise to an NBA Championship. Though Attles’ playing career ended in 1971, he actually began coaching the team in 1969 and remained in that capacity until the end of the 1983 season.
On Thursday morning, Warriors’ guard Steph Curry said he didn’t think Kerr would have to go out of his way to find an Attles-inspired suit, suggesting that his head coach probably found his Friday attire in his own closet.
“I think Steve got that out of the back of his closet, I think he already had that in there,” Curry joked. “There’s nothing special about it, I would probably just draw some chest hair. I don’t know what coach’s manscaping is like, maybe have to get that going if he’s going to go three buttons open with the high peak collar.”