Celtics: Al Horford Chose Boston to ‘Be a Part of Something Special’
Newly acquired Boston Celtics big man Al Horford spoke to the media on Monday (Sept. 26) and revealed the reason he decided to sign with Boston.
Who said Boston isn’t a desired destination for big-name free agents? Over the summer the Boston Celtics landed All-Star free agent Al Horford, signing the former Atlanta Hawks center to a four-year, $113 million deal.
There were many NBA insiders who believed the Celtics needed to win a playoff series to even attain the interest of the NBA’s top free agents. But for Horford, it was the atmosphere and direction of the team that attracted his interest. Speaking to the media on Monday, revealed that he always had an interest in playing for the Celtics.
“Even though I was with Atlanta last year and we beat the Celtics in the playoffs, I was very impressed with how hard the guys played, and how good the team could be under Coach (Brad) Stevens,” Horford admitted. “What I saw, it just really intrigued me.”
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Horford visited many teams, but it was the strong young nucleus of the Celtics that eventually landed him in Boston. Led by Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder and Avery Bradly, the Celtics were already expected to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. With Al Horford, they are now expected to push the world champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
In all, Horford saw something special in Boston. Something that he wanted to be apart of.
“Looking at my career…going into my 10th year,” Horford added. “I wanted to be able to be a part of something special and win a championship. And with the type of guys that we have, we have that opportunity.”
A four-time All Star, Al Horford gives Brad Stevens the stretch big man he has been searching for. He also adds rebounding and can protect the rim defensively. While Horford alone may not take the Celtics to the next level, he does advance them to a team that may just be one player away from contender for a championship.
Horford’s excitement with joining the Celtics was solidified on Tuesday. Following his first practice with the team, the big man lauded coach Brad Stevens.
“Coach is very sharp,” Horford said. “He explains things well. He just wants practice to move along. The pace of the practice, that’s what I noticed the most.”
He was also impressed by the energy and intensity of his new teammates and how much he is learning from players like Bradley.
“Avery (Bradley) has already gotten in my ear, letting me know if there’s anything that I need help with,” Horford added. “He’s there for me. And any of the guys. Anything I see out there, I’ll be talking to them. I just want to get acclimated as fast as I can out there.”
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