Emerging from a challenging East Oakland childhood when he cheered for the Golden State Warriors from a cramped house, Juan Toscano-Anderson now has that coveted contract from his hometown team.
He is inspiring millions in Mexico, where he played and has heritage, too.
The Warriors signed the former two-way forward to a multiyear deal Thursday, also bringing back forward Jordan Bell for the remainder of the season. Toscano-Anderson has long been determined to prove he’s in the NBA for the long haul and talented enough to stay put.
“This is where my heart is. I’m an East Oakland kid, I’m a Warrior,” Toscano-Anderson said. “The Warriors mean everything to me and now I’m on this team. It’s a storybook, it’s a movie, I don’t know, whatever you want to call it.”
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. This happened once he transferred schools after having a knife pulled on him in second grade.
He thanked Attles again Thursday, noting, “She just changed my life.”
