Al Horford shares excitement to raise Banner 18 on Opening Night

BOSTON — Last year is over, but the legacy the Boston Celtics created will stand forever. And on Opening Night, they will lift their legacy into the rafters of TD Garden as they hand Banner 18 next to the 17 others. Their game against the New York Knicks will be the subplot of the evening rather than the main event.

The Celtics rolled their way through the postseason last spring, capping off a dominant regular season with an even more impressive playoff run. Even in a city like Boston, where winning is the standard, it was an incredible feat. As Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown lifted the trophy, thousands of Celtics fans at the Garden roared.

And on Tuesday, they’ll get to celebrate in front of their fans once again.

Al Horford is very excited for Opening Night

After practice on Monday, Horford expressed his excitement about getting his ring and raising Banner 18 into the sky.

“I'm just excited about that,” Horford said. “Yeah, it's obviously a lot of emotions. First time that we're going through this. But I think it's just trying to really enjoy the moment.”

He doesn’t know how he’ll feel, but he’s ready to soak it all in.

“I don’t know,” Horford said of what his emotions will be like. “I feel like it’s becoming real now that we’re getting to do this, and the day is tomorrow. So, the whole time, I’m just very grateful for the position that I’m in and the fact that I have my wife, my kids there. My parents. It’ll just be special. 

“But I really don’t know exactly how it’s going to be. I’ll be able to probably talk to you guys more after about that. But I’m just very excited for the moment.”

Horford re-joined the Celtics in 2021 after years with the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder, and since returning, it’s been like he never left.

During his first go-around with the Celtics, Horford was an All-Star center and one of the best players on the roster. This time, he’s transitioned into being the perfect role player next to Tatum, Brown, and the rest of the team.

His popularity in the City of Boston cannot be understated, and the fact that he won a ring in green could give him a chance to have his number raised next to the banner he helped secure.

There’s a real shot that No. 42 is immortalized forever, and it would be well-deserved.

Seeing Horford put on his championship ring and help raise Banner 18 will be a treat for the fans, the organization, and all of his teammates, who relentlessly praised the veteran’s leadership all throughout last season.

From now until eternity, Horford’s name will be associated with the team that helped bring glory back to Boston.