Al Horford looked down at the Larry O’Brien Trophy in his hands.
“Wow,” he muttered repeatedly before placing the trophy back on the stand.
“I can’t believe it. I still can’t believe it,” Horford said as he stood on the podium covered in confetti with his teammates. “We did it. I can’t believe it. This is just how I pictured it. Here at the Garden, with our fans. Everybody together, this is just how I saw it eight years ago.”
Seventeen years in the making, Al Horford is finally an NBA champion. It’s a journey that brought him to Boston eight years ago, driven by this very dream.
“It was crazy because during free agency meetings in 2016, my agent and I, Jason Glushon, were both sitting in the meeting, and we just kept looking at this enormous ring in Wyc’s hand. And after the meeting, we were like, 'Did you notice that?' That’s the attention,” Horford recalled after the game.
“Man, I never forget what Danny Ainge told me in that meeting. He said, ‘You can win championships in many places, but there’s nothing like winning in Boston. Nothing like winning as a Celtic.’ And that stuck with me from that meeting. I was like, man, I’m trying to be great, and that’s what I want.”
Horford was still wandering around TD Garden at nearly 4:30 a.m., taking it all in. With the win, he became just the fourth player to win his first NBA championship in his 17th season or later, joining Juwan Howard (18th season), Kevin Willis (18th season), and current Dallas head coach Jason Kidd (17th season).
“I’m so grateful,” Horford said. “It’s been a lot of years. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I’m going through the emotions right now, but I don’t feel like it’s over. This is an unbelievable feeling. Yeah, the confetti, everything is going on, but it just hasn’t hit me yet.”
Horford has been an inspiration for the Celtics. Often referred to as “The OG,” winning a championship for Horford served as extra motivation for the Celtics.
“It’s crazy to look back. Before, I was trying not to make that happen, and then obviously, once I became his teammate, it was like one of the ultimate goals of this season,” Jrue Holiday said. “Knowing the type of person that Al is, knowing the leader that he is, even off the court, the father that he is, just the all-around great person and great human, I’d run through a brick wall for him. I’m so happy that he got one.”
The 38-year-old has undoubtedly left his mark on the basketball landscape with five All-Star selections, an All-NBA nod, All-Defensive honors, and a collection of Player of the Week and Month awards. Now, after his 186th career postseason game, spanning stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics, he is finally an NBA champion.
“Man, nobody deserves it more. Hell of a career. An underrated career. Just does everything for us. Doesn’t ask for anything,” Derrick White said. “I’m so happy for him, and I’m glad I could be a part of it. Just an amazing career and this is just another chapter of it.”
The big man certainly had to earn it. With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined for most of the postseason, Horford appeared in all 19 games, starting in 15 of them, averaging 9.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, en route to a +140 plus-minus, trailing just Jayson Tatum (+147) and Jrue Holiday (+143) for the postseason-best.
“Nobody deserved it more than Al. He’s been a great, not just leader on the court, but off the court as well. Just a mentor,” Jaylen Brown said.
“Al has just been that guy for me and for us. Like just his performance all season long. Like Al is 37, 38 years old, and we leaned on him so much. Probably too much for his age and where he’s at. He just delivered. So consistent, so disciplined with his body. Never complains, you know what I mean. The only thing he does is add to winning. For him, he is a great teammate. It’s been an honor to be by his side. And Al Horford is a real-life legend and hero. It’s been great to be his teammate.”
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