[Forsberg] 18 shamrocks: Reflecting on Al Horford’s unique legacy in Boston
September 29, 2025
[Forsberg] 18 shamrocks: Reflecting on Al Horford’s unique legacy in Boston
6 comments
[removed]
Love Al for all he did,buuuuuut, this decision to leave ends any chatter of his jersey going up in the rafters. This whole notion that he bleeds green is just kinda lost with this one. He doesn’t owe the city anything obviously and he deserves to go out and contend somewhere, but it does change his legacy here.
From Chris Forsberg:
Eighteen shamrocks.
That’s how we’ll always remember Al Horford’s time in Boston. Nine years ago, that was how he declared his intention to join the Celtics on social media. It was both a celebration and a promise. For the first real time in team history, a big-time free agent was choosing to come to Boston and, with him came true hope of raising the franchise’s next banner.
It took almost another decade — and two different stints in green — but Horford delivered on that promise. He nurtured a young team, twice delivered them to the championship stage, and finally secured that elusive Banner 18 in 2024. He helped restored Celtics Pride while ensuring the team was a title threat in nearly every season he wore green.
I’m not crazy about him leaving, but I’m not going to give him crap for getting more money while he can, like most of us would do
This is ultimately a business. And I think people don’t like to admit that Al treated this like a business, and his time with the Celtics was purely transactional.
It doesn’t mean we can’t respect what he did here, but he obviously views his relationship with the franchise as such.
He didn’t bleed green. They paid him the most money and was traded back here for assets.
I’m somewhat surprised by this team in particular because the Celtics are not significantly worse than GS
I don’t hate him and I will never hate him.
But I don’t think I love him anymore.
I used to though.
I just like him a lot now, probably more than I should.
6 comments
[removed]
Love Al for all he did,buuuuuut, this decision to leave ends any chatter of his jersey going up in the rafters. This whole notion that he bleeds green is just kinda lost with this one. He doesn’t owe the city anything obviously and he deserves to go out and contend somewhere, but it does change his legacy here.
From Chris Forsberg:
Eighteen shamrocks.
That’s how we’ll always remember Al Horford’s time in Boston. Nine years ago, that was how he declared his intention to join the Celtics on social media. It was both a celebration and a promise. For the first real time in team history, a big-time free agent was choosing to come to Boston and, with him came true hope of raising the franchise’s next banner.
It took almost another decade — and two different stints in green — but Horford delivered on that promise. He nurtured a young team, twice delivered them to the championship stage, and finally secured that elusive Banner 18 in 2024. He helped restored Celtics Pride while ensuring the team was a title threat in nearly every season he wore green.
[Read more here](https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nba/boston-celtics/al-horford-legacy-boston-impact/734784/).
I’m not crazy about him leaving, but I’m not going to give him crap for getting more money while he can, like most of us would do
This is ultimately a business. And I think people don’t like to admit that Al treated this like a business, and his time with the Celtics was purely transactional.
It doesn’t mean we can’t respect what he did here, but he obviously views his relationship with the franchise as such.
He didn’t bleed green. They paid him the most money and was traded back here for assets.
I’m somewhat surprised by this team in particular because the Celtics are not significantly worse than GS
I don’t hate him and I will never hate him.
But I don’t think I love him anymore.
I used to though.
I just like him a lot now, probably more than I should.