Rivalries still mean something in the NBA. While veterans are accusing younger players of joining their friends to form superteams instead of competing, the Warriors veteran Al Horford is out here leading by example.
Horford was a part of the 2022 Celtics roster that lost to the Warriors in the NBA Finals that year. Following his inaugural trip to the NBA finals, Horford was up for a contract extension at the time. He ended up signing a two-year, $20 million deal to stay in Boston.
However, had the Warriors tried to convince him to join them as a free agent that season, he would have refused to come to the Golden State. In an interview with ESPN before facing the Nuggets, Al Horford confessed that he would have refused a move to the Warriors had he not won the NBA championship with the Celtics in 2024.
Horford feels his approach is “old-school” in the modern NBA, which doesn’t allow him to “fraternize” with opponents.
“If you’re my teammate, I’m with you and I have your back and I’m all about you,” Horford told ESPN. “But all this hugging at half-court at the end of the game and all this friendship. No.”
“I think it would’ve been too hard for me as a competitor just because of how I operate,” Horford said when asked about whether he would join the Warriors in 2022 after losing to them in the NBA Finals. “So I just don’t think I could have.” Clearly, not everyone can pull what Kevin Durant did in 2016.
“This whole CBA thing, apron stuff, it essentially destroyed that team that they built over there,” Horford said while talking about his time with the Celtics. He has previously also explained the frustrations that led to his exit from the Celtics.
Horford had to wait a long time after a reported handshake deal to finalize his eventual move to the Warriors this summer.
“I felt like there was a lot of upside in this thing,” Horford said in reference to being patient during the Jonathan Kuminga contract extension saga. “So I just had to wait it out.”
“For me, it’s a privilege to have this opportunity and to be here,” Horford said to remind the Warriors fans that he has nothing against the franchise. “They’re so accomplished. I do understand that there’s a lot that comes with it. There are a lot of challenges. But I’m pretty excited.”
The 39-year-old veteran had a relatively slow regular season debut for the Warriors against the Lakers. In 20 minutes played, he had five points, five rebounds, and one assist in the game, while shooting only 28.6% from the field and 25% from the three-point line.
He is excited to play alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to potentially contend for another NBA championship as he nears imminent retirement.
