Al Horford brought his winning tradition with him to Atlanta. It was packed and ready to go upon arrival.
It’s hard to argue with the results.
The Hawks used the No. 3 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft to select Horford after the center was part of back-to-back national championships at Florida. The Hawks made the playoffs for the first time in nine years when he was a rookie and have been a part of the postseason in each of his eight seasons. The Hawks’ streak is the longest active run in the Eastern Conference. In the NBA, it trails only the Spurs, who just clinched their 19th consecutive playoff berth in the Western Conference.
“My whole thing when I got here was I wanted to help our team make the playoffs,” Horford told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently. “When I talked to (then-coach) Mike Woodson and (then-general manager) Billy Knight when I first got here and I looked at our roster I said, ‘I think we can do it. I think we can make a push, make the playoffs and start building.’ That was my very first thing.
“I told people here in the beginning that I don’t care about numbers individually. I want to win. I want us playing meaningful games. That’s my thing because I felt how that was playing in college at Florida. There is nothing better than being part of a team that is playing for something.”
The Hawks are in a tight battle, but are in position for another postseason as they enter the final quarter of the regular season. The 29-year-old Horford was been a constant in the organization. He is on his fourth ownership configuration, third general manager and third head coach. He is the longest tenured Hawks player, from the day he joined with Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams.
In the Hawks’ Atlanta playoff history, Horford ranks first in games (64) and rebounds (555), third in field goals (352), fourth in points (824) and fifth in assists (190).
Horford, 6-foot-10, 245 pounds, is near the top and climbing in many of the franchise’s all-time statistical categories. Where he ranks on the list of the teams’ greatest centers is a discussion for another day. The argument can be made he has played out of position, with a body ideally suited for power forward, for much of career. He has spent the past two-plus seasons in coach Mike Budenholzer’s system where the power forward and center are almost interchangeable.
“It’s his hard work, his focus, his dedication to the game of basketball and wanting to improve each year he’s out there,” Hawks great Kevin Willis said of the team’s playoff run with Horford. “When you have that type of mindset, good things happen.”
In the Hawks’ all-time record book (through Thursday), Horford ranks fourth in defensive rebounds (3,638), seventh in offensive rebounds (1,347) and ninth in total rebounds (4,985). He also ranks sixth in blocks (672), ninth in double-doubles (200) and 10th in field goals (3,416).
It should be noted that Horford has put up such numbers while missing the equivalent of 1 1/2 seasons with two torn pectoral muscles — playing 11 regular-season games in 2011-12 and 29 games in 2013-14.
Willis said he already considers Horford among the top five players in Hawks history.
“There have been a lot of good players who have come through here,” Horford said. “My emphasis has always been on the team. I don’t look to give myself credit. It’s always been about the team. As long as we are winning and making progress, I’m happy.”
Horford was named an All-Star for the fourth time this season. Since the team moved to Atlanta in 1968, only Dominique Wilkins (nine), Lou Hudson (six), Joe Johnson (six) and Dikembe Mutombo (four) have been honored as many times.
While Horford has not been the traditional center of Hawks’ great big men such as Tree Rollins and Mutombo, he has adapted his game to the changing NBA. Already with one of the best mid-range games in the game, Horford extended his range to the 3-point range. He has 62 3-pointers this season. In his previous eight seasons combined, he totaled 21. Horford has also adapted on defense. The NBA game has changed on that end of the court for big men as they are now called upon to defend the pick-and-roll game with regularity.
“I just think the versatility that he brings, and I tend to think of it more defensively and with how many pick-and-rolls there are every night and the different things you have to do to be a good defensive team,” Budenholzer said of Horford. “The versatility and freedom that he gives a coach on the defensive end of the court is very unique. He gives us more than I would have imagined or thought when I came here.
“Offensively, I think he’s continued to grow and has a similar versatility there. The ability to stretch his range and create more space for our team and his teammates. His ability to push the ball on the break — that was one of the things that stood out to me when I came was how he could get the ball off the board and advance it and find guys. That one really stood out.”
Horford will become an unrestricted free agent following the season. There will no doubt be a long line of suitors. The Hawks will be at the front of the line with the ability to give him a five-year maximum contract in the range of $146 million. Horford has chosen not to discuss in detail his contract status as to not make it a distraction.
Horford said he has not thought about his legacy or the statistics that he continues to amass. There will be time for that when his career is over. In the meantime, there are more games to be won, and Horford will be right in the middle.
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