Boston Celtics: 5 best free agent signings in team history
By Drew Taylor
2. Al Horford
After three years at the University of Florida, Al Horford left college as a winner as a back-to-back NCAA champion in 2006 and 2007.
Selected third overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2007 NBA Draft, Horford lived up to his high draft status in his rookie season. Horford was the only player to be unanimously selected to the 2007-08 All-Rookie First Team, and he finished second in the Rookie of the Year race behind Kevin Durant with averages of 10.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
After four All-Star selections across nine years in Atlanta, Horford decided to leave the Hawks after they committed the majority of their salary to land Dwight Howard, signing a four-year, $113 million max contract in July 2016 with the Boston Celtics.
Horford’s first season in Beantown came in the organization’s magical 2016-17 season led by Isaiah Thomas. Through the season’s ups and downs, Horford was always there. His 14.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game helped the Cs to a conference-best 53-win regular season and a conference finals appearance.
The following season was more of the same for Horford. He was a consistent, reliable center that was on the floor every night. This season, however, was the first Horford showed his ability as a perimeter player and ball-handler while still maintaining his tough, physical defensive abilities. His 42.9 3-point percentage and 4.7 assists per game highlighted the advancements in his game, while his All-Defensive Second Team selection solidified his status as a versatile big man.
Though his tenure in Boston was relatively short-lived, Horford’s arrival brought a true big man to a team who was in desperate need of a physical force, and his leadership and veteran presence brought experience to a squad full of young talent. Though his averages dropped a bit in Boston compared to Atlanta, the way Horford transformed his game to fit the Celtics play style was vital to their success in consecutive years.
Maybe his performance didn’t live up to the almost $30 million a year the Celtics were paying him, but Horford’s importance to Boston’s back-to-back appearances in the conference finals can’t be overlooked.