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The difference a championship has on Al Horford’s legacy

By Joshua Bateman

BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics looks on in the 4th quarter during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics on May 27, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics looks on in the 4th quarter during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics on May 27, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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What a championship with the Boston Celtics means for Al Horford’s legacy

When it is all said and done, championships are always going to be a factor in the legacy a player leaves behind them. Championships alone will never capture the true impact of any player, but it will always be something that has to be considered.

With that in mind, championships can mean more to one player another. Being a part of something for a long time, and having a true lasting impact changes the way you think about the championships that players have one.

Many times, you see a player struggle through a long career, knowing that capturing that one championship will change everything. We saw it with Paul Pierce the last time the Boston Celtics won a championship, or Dirk Nowitzky with the Dallas Mavericks.

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Those championships truly change the mark these players left on the league, and the same can be said about Al Horford right now. He has been a universally respected player his entire career. He was the best player on a top team with Atlanta, and now he has found a home where he can finally reach the culmination of a truly special career.

You would not even have to think about whether or not he gets into the hall of fame if he gets a ring with this core. The biggest difference for Horford is that he is a true piece of the identity of this team.

He did not join any kind of ready made team, and absolutely contributed to having such a fast rebuild. He has brought the best years of his career with the Celtics, is a legitimate defensive player of the year candidate, is one of the best passing centers we have ever seen and is one of the most efficient three point shooting centers we have ever seen.

Horford has put in all the hard work to get to where he is, and there is not another player on this Celtics team whose legacy would be impacted more by a championship.

Horford will already be remembered in Celtics history, but success will always be measured with championships wit this franchise. Horford will solidify a truly special career if he can bring banner 18 to the Celtics. Without that banner, he would never be remembered the same.

He may not be the best player on the team, but he has been arguably the most important throughout this rebuild. No one can ever doubt the impact he has, and if the Celtics get that championship with him, he will be leaving behind a legacy that will be remembered for a long time.

Horford has always done things the right way, and has grown tremendously in every opportunity he has been in. Horford deserves this as much as anyone, and he will be one of the most important players on the team if they do manage to get that ring.

It is unsure exactly how much longer Horofrd will be with the Celtics, and that makes winning right now even more important and rewarding for Horford. The Celtics are not going to be able to pay him a lot of money after this contract, so who knows how many more opportunities he will have to get that championship.

If he moves on and the Celtics go on to win one without him down the line, it will be a lot easier to forget the impact he’s had on the franchise. If, however, he is a part of the team that gets that ring, playing the role he is playing now, then he will be remembered alongside any top players currently on this team.

Next: Celtics should move on from Marcus Morris

Horford’s time with the Celtics has already been special, and getting that championship will make all the difference in how he is remembered years after his career is over.

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