Al Horford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Al Horford

Horford at the White House in 2024
Free Agent
Power forward / center
Personal information
Born	(1986-06-03) June 3, 1986 (age 39) Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
High school	Grand Ledge (Grand Ledge, Michigan)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
College	Florida (2004–2007)
NBA Draft	2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Pro career	2007–present
Career history
2007–2016	Atlanta Hawks
2016–2019	Boston Celtics
2019–2020	Philadelphia 76ers
2020–2021	Oklahoma City Thunder
2021–2025	Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2024) 5× NBA All-Star (2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018) All-NBA Third Team (2011) NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2018) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2008) 2× NCAA champion (2006, 2007) Second-team All-American – NABC (2007) Third-team All-American – AP (2007) SEC tournament MVP (2007)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Dominican Republic FIBA AmeriCup Bronze 2011 Argentina Team Centrobasket Gold 2012 Puerto Rico Team Bronze 2008 Mexico Team

Alfred Joel Horford Reynoso (born June 3, 1986), known as Big Al, is a professional basketball player from the Dominican Republic. He recently played for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Al Horford is a five-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2024.

Horford played college basketball for the Florida Gators. He was a key player when they won back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. The Atlanta Hawks picked him third overall in the 2007 NBA draft. He played nine seasons with the Hawks before joining the Celtics.

After playing for the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder, Horford returned to the Celtics in 2021. He reached the NBA Finals in 2022 and 2024. In 2024, he won his first NBA title. This was after playing 186 playoff games without a championship, which was the second-most all-time. Al Horford is the only NBA player with 14,000 points, 8,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists, 1,300 blocks, and 900 three-pointers.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Al Horford was born in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. His father, Tito Horford, also played in the NBA for three years. In 2000, Al and his family moved to Lansing, Michigan. He went to Grand Ledge High School in Grand Ledge, Michigan.

Al was a star player on his high school basketball team. He holds seven school records, including scoring 1,239 career points. In his senior year, he was named "Class A Player of the Year." He averaged 21 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks per game.

College Basketball Career

Horford chose to attend the University of Florida on a scholarship. He played for coach Billy Donovan and with future NBA players like Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer. In his first year (2004–05), Horford started as a center for the Gators. He helped them win the Southeastern Conference tournament championship.

The Gators had a great 2005–06 season, winning the SEC championship again. They entered the 2006 NCAA tournament as a high seed. The Gators won all their games to reach the Final Four. They then defeated George Mason and UCLA to win their first national title. Horford scored 14 points and had seven rebounds in the championship game.

Horford playing for Florida as a junior

In December 2006, Horford missed some games due to an injury. His coach, Billy Donovan, wanted him to be ready for a big game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Horford played in that game and helped the Gators win. On March 4, 2007, he scored his 1,000th career point.

On April 2, 2007, the Gators won the national championship again. They were the first team since 1992 to win back-to-back titles with the same starting lineup. After this win, Horford and his teammates decided to enter the NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Journey

Atlanta Hawks (2007–2016)

Starting Strong in the NBA (2007–2008)

On June 28, 2007, the Atlanta Hawks picked Horford third overall in the 2007 NBA draft. He was the only player chosen unanimously for the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He also finished second for Rookie of the Year. Horford averaged 10.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. The Hawks made the playoffs and pushed the Boston Celtics to seven games.

Becoming an All-Star (2008–2011)

Horford in 2008

In the 2008–09 season, Horford averaged 11.5 points and 9.3 rebounds. The Hawks reached the second round of the playoffs. In the 2009–10 season, Horford became an NBA All-Star for the first time. He averaged 14.2 points and 9.9 rebounds. He had 39 double-doubles (scoring and rebounding in double digits). The Hawks again reached the second round of the playoffs.

On November 1, 2010, Horford signed a five-year contract extension with the Hawks. He was an All-Star for the second year in a row in 2011. He averaged 15.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. He was also named to the Third-Team All-NBA.

Dealing with Injuries (2011–2014)

The 2011–12 season was shorter due to an NBA lockout. Horford played only 11 games before tearing a muscle in his left chest. He missed the rest of the season. He returned for the playoffs, but the Hawks lost.

In the 2012–13 season, Horford played all 74 games he started. He averaged a career-high 17.4 points and 10.2 rebounds. He had 43 double-doubles. On February 27, 2013, he scored a career-high 34 points against the Utah Jazz. The Hawks made the playoffs but lost in the first round.

Horford in 2013

In the 2013–14 season, Horford started strong, averaging 18.6 points. However, he suffered another serious injury to his right chest muscle in December 2013. This injury ended his season early.

Back to All-Star Form (2014–2016)

Horford played in 76 games in the 2014–15 season, his most since 2011. On January 13, 2015, he recorded his first career triple-double (double digits in points, rebounds, and assists). He was named an All-Star for the third time. The Hawks had a fantastic season, winning 60 games. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in decades.

In the 2015–16 season, Horford played all 82 regular season games for the first time. He was named an All-Star for the fourth time. The Hawks made the playoffs but were swept by the Cavaliers in the second round.

Boston Celtics (2016–2019)

Horford in 2017

On July 8, 2016, Horford signed a four-year contract with the Boston Celtics. He wanted to help the Celtics win a championship. He missed some games early in the season due to a concussion. On March 19, 2017, he scored a season-high 27 points. The Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the 2017–18 season, Horford continued to play well. On December 2, he had a career-best 11 assists. On February 4, 2018, he made a game-winning shot against the Portland Trail Blazers. He was named an All-Star for the fifth time. The Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals again but lost to the Cavaliers in seven games.

On April 1, 2019, Horford recorded his second career triple-double.

Philadelphia 76ers (2019–2020)

Horford in 2019

On July 10, 2019, Horford signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. He scored 16 points in his debut against his former team, the Celtics. On November 4, he scored a season-high 32 points. The 76ers faced the Celtics in the playoffs but were swept in four games.

Oklahoma City Thunder (2020–2021)

On December 8, 2020, Horford was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He made his Thunder debut on December 26, 2020, with 13 rebounds. On February 5, 2021, he scored a season-high 26 points. In March, the Thunder decided to focus on younger players, so Horford sat out the rest of the season.

Return to Boston (2021–2025)

First NBA Finals Appearance (2021–2022)

Horford in 2021

On June 18, 2021, Horford was traded back to the Boston Celtics. On March 3, 2022, he had 21 points and 15 rebounds against the Memphis Grizzlies.

In the 2022 playoffs, Horford played a big role. On May 9, he scored a playoff career-high 30 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. On May 29, 2022, Horford reached the NBA Finals for the first time in his 15-year career. He set a record for the most playoff games (141) without reaching the Finals. He also became the first player from the Dominican Republic to reach the NBA Finals. In Game 1 of the Finals, he scored 26 points, setting an NBA record for most three-pointers in a Finals debut. The Celtics lost the series in six games.

Contract Extension and Continued Success (2022–2023)

On December 1, 2022, Horford signed a two-year contract extension with the Celtics. On January 19, 2023, he helped the Celtics beat the Golden State Warriors in overtime. On March 2, he had 23 points and 11 rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Winning an NBA Championship (2023–2024)

With the arrival of Kristaps Porziņģis, Horford took on a new role as a reserve player. However, when Porziņģis got injured in the playoffs, Horford became the starting center again. On May 15, 2024, he had 22 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, and three steals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He became the first NBA player to have 10+ rebounds, 5+ three-pointers, 5+ assists, and 3+ blocks in a playoff game.

On May 25, he scored 23 points and made a career-high seven three-pointers against the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics swept the Pacers and advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals. Horford started all five games in the Finals as the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks. This win gave Horford his first NBA championship in his 186th playoff game. He became the first Dominican player to win an NBA championship.

National Team Career

Horford played for the Dominican Republic national team from 2008 to 2012. In 2011, he won a bronze medal at the FIBA Americas Championship.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2007–08	Atlanta	81	77	31.4	.499	.000	.731	9.7	1.5	.7	.9	10.1
2008–09	Atlanta	67	67	33.5	.525	.000	.727	9.3	2.4	.8	1.4	11.5
2009–10	Atlanta	81	81	35.1	.551	1.000	.789	9.9	2.3	.7	1.1	14.2
2010–11	Atlanta	77	77	35.1	.557	.500	.798	9.3	3.5	.8	1.0	15.3
2011–12	Atlanta	11	11	31.6	.553	.000	.733	7.0	2.2	.9	1.3	12.4
2012–13	Atlanta	74	74	37.2	.543	.500	.644	10.2	3.2	1.1	1.1	17.5
2013–14	Atlanta	29	29	33.0	.567	.364	.682	8.4	2.6	.9	1.5	18.6
2014–15	Atlanta	76	76	30.5	.538	.306	.759	7.2	3.2	.9	1.3	15.2
2015–16	Atlanta	82*	82*	32.1	.505	.344	.798	7.3	3.2	.8	1.5	15.2
2016–17	Boston	68	68	32.3	.473	.355	.800	6.8	5.0	.8	1.3	14.0
2017–18	Boston	72	72	31.6	.489	.429	.783	7.4	4.7	.6	1.1	12.9
2018–19	Boston	68	68	29.0	.535	.360	.821	6.7	4.2	.9	1.3	13.6
2019–20	Philadelphia	67	61	30.2	.450	.350	.763	6.8	4.0	.8	.9	11.9
2020–21	Oklahoma City	28	28	27.9	.450	.368	.818	6.7	3.4	.9	.9	14.2
2021–22	Boston	69	69	29.1	.467	.336	.842	7.7	3.4	.7	1.3	10.2
2022–23	Boston	63	63	30.5	.476	.446	.714	6.2	3.0	.5	1.0	9.8
2023–24	Boston	65	33	26.8	.511	.419	.867	6.4	2.6	.6	1.0	8.6
2024–25	Boston	60	42	27.6	.423	.363	.895	6.2	2.1	.6	.9	9.0
Career		1,138	1,078	31.6	.509	.377	.763	7.9	3.2	.8	1.1	12.9
All-Star		5	0	12.0	.667	.200	1.000	4.4	1.6	.4	.4	6.2

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2008	Atlanta	7	7	39.5	.472	—	.741	10.4	3.6	.4	1.0	12.6
2009	Atlanta	9	9	28.0	.424	.000	.667	5.8	2.0	.7	.7	6.9
2010	Atlanta	11	11	35.3	.523	1.000	.839	9.0	1.8	.7	1.7	14.6
2011	Atlanta	12	12	39.0	.423	.000	.769	9.6	3.5	.4	1.0	11.3
2012	Atlanta	3	2	35.9	.588	—	.750	8.3	2.7	1.3	1.3	15.3
2013	Atlanta	6	6	36.3	.494	—	.667	8.8	3.0	1.0	.8	16.7
2015	Atlanta	16	16	32.6	.507	.222	.750	8.6	3.7	.8	1.4	14.4
2016	Atlanta	10	10	32.7	.466	.393	.938	6.5	3.0	1.2	2.4	13.4
2017	Boston	18	18	33.9	.584	.519	.759	6.6	5.4	.8	.8	15.1
2018	Boston	19	19	35.7	.544	.349	.827	8.3	3.3	1.0	1.2	15.7
2019	Boston	9	9	34.5	.418	.409	.833	9.0	4.4	.4	.8	13.9
2020	Philadelphia	4	3	32.1	.480	.000	.571	7.3	2.3	.3	1.3	7.0
2022	Boston	23	23	35.4	.523	.480	.778	9.3	3.3	.8	1.3	12.0
2023	Boston	20	20	30.8	.386	.298	.750	7.2	3.0	1.1	1.7	6.7
2024	Boston	19	15	30.3	.478	.368	.636	7.0	2.1	.8	.8	9.2
2025	Boston	11	9	31.6	.472	.400	.857	6.0	1.8	.6	1.3	8.0
Career		197	189	33.7	.493	.391	.775	7.9	3.2	.8	1.2	11.9

College

Personal Life and Family

Al Horford's father, Tito Horford, was also a basketball player. He played in the NBA for three years. Al's uncle, Kelly Horford, played college basketball. His brother, Jon Horford, also played for Michigan and Florida. Al has two sisters and three younger brothers.

Horford is married to Amelia Vega, who was crowned Miss Universe in 2003. They are both from the Dominican Republic. They met in Boston in 2007 and got married on Christmas Eve in 2011. They have five children together.

On September 12, 2024, Horford visited the Dominican Republic with the Larry O'Brien Trophy. He was the first person from his country to bring the trophy home. For his achievements, he received the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella. This is the highest honor a civilian can receive in the Dominican Republic.

In September 2024, Horford was inducted into the Grand Ledge High School Athletics Hall of Fame. On February 21, 2025, his jersey number 42 was retired at Grand Ledge High School. He is only the second person to have his number retired there.

Horford wears number 42 to honor Jackie Robinson, a famous baseball player. He is also a member of the Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ International.

See also

In Spanish: Al Horford para niños

• List of NBA career playoff rebounding leaders
• List of NBA career playoff blocks leaders
• List of NBA career playoff games played leaders
• List of NBA career playoff minutes leaders
• List of second-generation NBA players
• Dominican-Americans in Boston