"Overwhelmed with a lot of emotion" - Al Horford reacts to receiving Dominican Republic's highest honor after winning first NBA championship
Three months after winning his first NBA championship, Boston Celtics veteran big man Al Horford returned to his native country, the Dominican Republic. The five-time All-Star was awarded the country's highest honor for his historic accomplishment, later expressing immense gratitude.
Despite being 38 years old and in his 17th season, Horford played a key role during Boston's 2024 title run. He started all five contests of the franchise's 4-1 NBA Finals win over the Dallas Mavericks, providing savvy veteran stretch five play.
While Boston made history with its record-setting 18th championship, Horford also achieved an unprecedented milestone. He became the first Dominican player to win an NBA title.
On Tuesday, Horford returned to his home country with his wife and children, showcasing the Celtics' latest Larry O'Brien Trophy.
During his visit, Al Horford brought the championship trophy to the National Palace. There, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader honored him with the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella, the country's highest honor.
Afterward, Horford noted that the recognition caught him off guard, later touching on how much it meant to him.
"I knew I was going to come meet the president, but I didn’t know I was gonna get the highest award for the country," Horford said. "So, very special for me, very special for my family. I feel very proud right now. Very overwhelmed with a lot of emotion. Very, very special day for me today."
After winning first NBA title, Al Horford hopes to keep playing into his 40s
While many expected Al Horford to ride off into the sunset after winning his first championship, he appears motivated to keep playing as long as possible.
Shortly after Boston's June 17 title win, Horford spoke with Andscape's Marc J. Spears about his plan to extend his career. The one-time All-NBA selectee highlighted his strong health and unwavering passion for the game.
"I love playing. I enjoy being in a team setting and just being a part of an NBA team, an NBA locker room," Horford said. "I really just find joy in this. Just the routine, the process of it. My body feels good."
Horford added that he doesn't have a specific retirement age in mind and is open to playing into his 40s if his body allows him.
"My whole thing is like, I want to feel good," Horford said. "I want to feel like I’m able to contribute. ... So, I’m not really going to put an age limit on it. It feels good right now. ... It would be special [playing into my 40s]. There’s not a lot of guys that can say they can do that. ... But it’d be nice if I can do it, and I can keep going."
Over 65 contests last season, Horford averaged 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.7 3-pointers per game, shooting 51.1% and 41.9% from 3.
Across five finals outings, he averaged 7.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.2 spg and 1.6 3pg, shooting 52.0% and 47.1% from deep.
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