After Anna Horford, Celtics center Al Horford clears air on rumors about his potential retirement from NBA
Back on Sept. 10, an NBA parody account called 'Legon Hoops' fooled some fans into thinking that Al Horford was retiring from professional basketball. The page claimed that Horford was ready to call it quits after he won his first NBA title with the Boston Celtics last season.
Horford's sister Anna Horford quickly shut this down with a two-word post on X (formerly Twitter) to the relief of many Celtics fans. Now, Horford himself has talked about when he will retire from playing basketball.
Horford said this to the media during the Celtics' media day ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.
"For me, and I've said this before, I never put a limit on how long I'm gonna play," Horford said. "I feel good and I'm very fortunate to be in this position and I give God the glory for that.
It also appeared like retirement was the furthest thing from his mind when he shared the following statement.
"I'm just gonna keep playing and that's what that is," Horford added.
Al Horford turned 38 in June, just a few days before the NBA Finals started. He is the oldest member of the Boston Celtics followed by Jrue Holiday who turned 34 that same month.
Also read: Al Horford's sister Anna Horford shuts down Celtics center's NBA retirement rumors with 2 words
Al Horford provided a consistent interior presence for the Celtics upon returning
Al Horford's first stint with the Boston Celtics ended after the 2019 season as he hit free agency. That summer, he chose to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers on a four-year deal.
Horford and the Celtics would be reunited ahead of the 2021-22 season after a one-year stint with the OKC Thunder where he played in only 28 games. He was traded back to Boston as part of the trade package that sent Kemba Walker to the Thunder.
Upon returning to the Celtics, Horford was given the starting center role that he once had during his first stint with the team. In his first season, he played 69 games, more than doubling the games he suited up in for the Thunder.
Before coming back, the Celtics didn't seem to have a consistent starting center. They had Robert Williams, Daniel Theis and Tristan Thompson as well as Enes Freedom but none of them held the starting position consistently.
While he is far removed from his All-Star days, Horford's veteran leadership has been a major part of the Celtics championship run. He started every game in the 2024 NBA Finals and averaged 7.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
As Boston looks to repeat as champions, Horford will surely play another major role. He is unlikely to put up the same numbers that he had as an All-Star but his veteran leadership and his presence are vital pieces of the puzzle.