Getty Jayson Tatum, Al Horford
Boston Celtics center Al Horford has quite the NBA resume. He’s made five All-Star teams, made an All-NBA team, made an All-Defense team, missed the playoffs once in his entire career and, most recently, won an NBA championship.
His overall basketball resume only makes him look better, as he won two consecutive NCAA titles. That makes him one of the few players to ever win on the collegiate and professional level. Such an accomplished career could lead to him making the Basketball Hall of Fame. Among those who believe he should is Jayson Tatum.
Tatum posted a picture of Horford with the caption “HOF [Hall of Fame]” on his Instagram Story. Celtics.com’s Marc D’Amico aggregated Tatum’s picture via his X account.
Most of Horford’s individual NBA accolades came during his time with the Atlanta Hawks. However, he has experienced the most playoff success he’s ever had with the Celtics. Horford made the Eastern Conference finals one time (2015) outside his time with Boston. In the six seasons he’s played for the Celtics, he’s missed the Eastern Conference finals once, in 2019.
Celtics Teammates Praise Al Horford After Title
After the Celtics won the title, multiple Celtics singled out Horford as motivation to win the title. Jaylen Brown got a little emotional while praising Horford’s influence.
“Nobody deserved it more than Al,” Brown told reporters. “He’s been a great not just leader on the court but off the court as well. Just a mentor. Somebody I know I can talk to about life and is going to give me great advice about family, about finances, about just life, adversity, whatever the case is. Just, Al has just been that guy for me and for us.”
Jrue Holiday also praised Horford while acknowledging that he was motivated by the notion of getting Horford a title.
Jrue Holiday on seeing Al Horford win a championship:
“Before, I was trying not to make that happen. Once I became his teammate, it was one for he ultimate goals of this season… I’d run through a brick wall for him. I’m so happy that he got one.”
“Once I became his teammate, it was like one of the ultimate goals of this season,” Holiday told reporters. “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.”
It’s clear that Horford has left a strong impression on his Celtics teammates. Whether it be teammates he’s played with since the beginning of his time in Boston, like Brown, or teammates he paired up with for the first time in 2023, like Holiday.
Al Horford’s Journey With the Celtics
When Horford signed with the Celtics in 2016, he refuted the notion that All-Stars don’t willingly sign with Boston. From there, he helped the Celtics make two consecutive Eastern Conference finals appearances.
Horford then left after a turbulent postseason in 2018. After a disastrous stint with the Philadelphia 76ers and an uneventful stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Horford found himself back on the Celtics.
From there, he’s helped the Celtics make two of the last three NBA Finals. Even though his role has decreased with each passing year, Horford has done his part to help the Celtics win their 18th title. After their championship, Horford is no longer among the players with the most playoff victories with no titles to show for it.