Celtics teammates praise Al Horford’s character, lobby for Boston to re-sign him
“He’s the best teammate I’ve ever played with.”
Following the news that Al Horford isn’t sure if he will play his 19th NBA season in 2025-26, his Celtics teammates heaped praise on the 38-year-old center.
Horford is slated to hit free agency after this season, and the consensus is that the current roster wants him to stay in Boston.
“Al is about as good a teammate I’ve ever seen,” fellow Celtics center Luke Kornet said on Saturday. “Honestly, [he] is the best I’ve ever seen, just in terms of the ability to both personally and emotionally be steady and reliable for the group, but also have a competitive character.
“He’s obviously meant a lot to our team and to this franchise. He’s an incredibly accomplished player and great, but I feel like in terms of an identity for the team, so much of it is him and his leadership. A lot of it is silent and goes without being noticed. He’s the best teammate I’ve ever played with. Just a great leader in all aspects of it, which I think is really impressive.”
Following Jayson Tatum’s devastating Achilles injury in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Horford started in his place. The big man appeared in 60 regular-season games as well as all 11 of Boston’s playoff contests.
“Talk about being a professional, he’s the best. One of the best teammates I’ve ever had at any single level,” Sam Hauser said. “My first two years, I watched him from afar a lot. I don’t even know if he knows this, but I took a lot of mental notes about how he operates on a day-to-day basis.
“I appreciate him. Obviously, we would love to have him back. I’m sure he’s gonna take his time and do what’s right for him. Whatever he decides, that’s the right decision.”
The Celtics will inevitably have to make difficult roster decisions over the next few months. If Horford indeed wants to play next season, and for the Celtics, his contract could be a major factor for each side.
Horford, who turns 39 next month, earned a $9.5 million salary this past season.
A cornerstone for Boston over the last decade, outside of 2019-21 when he played for the 76ers and Thunder, replacing Horford would be a tall task for a Celtics team on the verge of resetting.
“Man, you can’t replace Al,” Payton Pritchard said. “I definitely hope we get that figured out. His locker room presence alone is crucial, then just having him on the court. For all the young guys, to see how he goes about the business, how professional he is. He’s just a leader. We definitely need him back.”
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