Al Horford makes H.O.F if Boston Celtics win NBA Finals, says Nick Wright

The Boston Celtics have made their first NBA Finals since 2010. One of the most excited players is Al Horford, who had previously played in the most playoff games ever without making the championship round.

With that being said, his illustrious career could put him in line for a Hall of Fame nod when considering his accomplishments. At least, Fox Sports pundit and analyst Nick Wright thinks so, citing his two national championships at Florida and potential NBA championship with Boston as the main reasons for why.

As the third overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, Horford immediately turned around the trajectory of a struggling Hawks franchise. They became perennial contenders in the early to mid-2010s, only falling to LeBron James‘ Heat and Cavaliers in the playoffs.

Al Horford of the Boston Celtics has had a great basketball career

Turning 36 on Friday, Horford has made five All-Star teams, one All-NBA team, the All-Rookie team in 2007-2008, and an All-Defensive team during his last stint with the Celtics. While the numbers don’t jump off the page, his continued success and reliability as a big man in this league is remarkable.

Adding a championship far past his prime, in a playoff run where he scored 30 points in a must-win Game 4 against Milwaukee, dunking all over Giannis Antetokounmpo along the way, would be the accolade needed to move his name into the Hall of Fame conversation.

He’s set to become the first player from the Dominican Republic to play in the NBA Finals, an incredible achievement in its own right.

He has never averaged over 20 points a game in a season, with his career-high landing at 18.6 in the 2013-2014 campaign. However, that has never been his game, as he’s made his mark as a walking double-double who can switch out onto the perimeter while also protecting the rim.

Horford’s shown his success against the likes of Bam Adebayo and Antetokounmpo, dealing with multiple body types thrown his way.

On the offensive end, he made his living in the mid-range when he first came into the league but evolved into an effective 3-point shooter when he came to the C’s. He shot almost 43 percent from beyond the arc in the 2017-18 season, when the Boston Celtics were mere seconds away from defeating LeBron in a Game 7 and reaching the Finals.

Additionally, the Basketball Hall of Fame is not as exclusive as other sports, notably baseball and football, with many more players, coaches, and executives being included each year.

Horford’s sustained success, capped off by a remarkable championship run, could put his name into the Hall of Fame.