Al HorfordForward, Golden State Warriors

"If I can say one word it's relief, we won!" - Al Horford on 17-year journey to NBA title

Name: "If I can say one word it's relief, we won!" - Al Horford on 17-year journey to NBA title
Uploaded: 2024-06-19T01:46:33+00:00
Duration: 1 min 40 s
Channel: Al Horford
Description: In a post‑game interview following the Boston Celtics' 2024 NBA championship, Al Horford reflects on the overwhelming relief of finally winning a title…

19 Jun 2024 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:40

In a post‑game interview following the Boston Celtics' 2024 NBA championship, Al Horford reflects on the overwhelming relief of finally winning a title after a 17‑year career that began in 2007. He expresses disbelief that he is still playing and that the championship feels surreal. Horford discusses his deep connection to Boston, noting that being a Celtic is part of his identity and that returning to the city after a brief stint elsewhere feels fitting. He highlights the growth and leadership of teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, praising their willingness to sacrifice individual stats for the team and emphasizing the special bond he shares with them. The interview captures Horford's emotional response, his perspective on career longevity, and his appreciation for the team’s collective effort.

Chapters

So many great stories with this Boston Celtics team. This man, Al Horford, you just said to me, "This doesn't feel real." What is actually running through your head right now?
I just, I can't believe it. You know, it just feels great. Such a great feeling. I'm very excited. Relief. If I can say one word, it's like relief. We won. It's over with. But I just can't believe that we're world champions.
Your NBA debut, November 2007. If someone said to you in November 2007, you're gonna win a title, but it's not gonna be until 2024, what do you think you would've said?
Man, I wouldn't have known what to say. I would've been, I'm still playing? After all those years? That's unbelievable. I mean, when I came in the league, I thought I was gonna play 10 years. So I just wouldn't have believed it. But this is unbelievable.
I know you're running around, you got a bunch of interviews to do. The city of Boston, you left here for a short period of time. I'm not sure whether you thought you were going to come back, but it feels fitting that you, a bunch of these guys you went through a lot of playoff battles with, finally got here tonight.
So special. So happy to be back here. Being a Celtic, this is who I am. And watching Jason and Jaylen just grow up and continue to get better. And lead us to this, it's just so special.
Jason said that your relationship, you were his favorite teammate ever. The relationship you have, the bond from yourself, as you mentioned, you said in the Conference Finals, it's weird getting asked about your age, so I'm not mentioning that. But you said that you've been through everything before and seeing him work his way into being that leader, what can you say about Jason?
It's just special. You know, he, he understands what it takes for us to win, and he understood that he needed to sacrifice a lot of his own individual stats and all these other things for the better of the team, and he has done it, and it has paid dividends for us.
Al, you've got a lifetime of celebrating to do over the next few days. I think that's it. We don't want to ask you any more questions.
Congratulations. Thank you. We appreciate your time. Thank you.