Banner 18 is going in the rafters, so should No. 42: An ode to Al Horford

Al Horford has easily been one of the most valuable players for the Celtics for six of the last eight years. His raw talent and top-level basketball IQ, on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court, have made him a fixture in the TD Garden.

He has started, came off the bench, and been an All-Star. He has performed whatever was asked of him as long as he has worn No. 42 in green.

Now, at long last, he is an NBA champion and should be the last to ever wear it.

As a Celtic, Horford has seen several iterations of this team and has been a foundational cornerstone of all of them. He was there for the Isaiah Thomas Eastern Conference Finals run, which was Jaylen Brown's rookie year. He was an All-Star in 2018 during Jayson Tatum's rookie year and another Eastern Conference run. He was perhaps the only guiding light during the 2019 Kyrie Irving year, which ended in the second round. He was there for the 2022 Finals run, last year's Conference Finals run.

Now, at long last, he has gotten to the pinnacle as an NBA Champion.

It's been a long journey for Horford. He began his NBA career in Atlanta in 2007. In 2016, Horford chose to come to Boston. He was a big free-agency signing for Boston at the time. Looking back, a championship was always on his mind from his initial meeting with owner Wyc Grousbeck and then GM Danny Ainge.

"During free agency meetings in 2016, my agent and I, Jason Glushon, we were both sitting in the meeting and we just kept looking at this enormous ring in Wyc's hand," Horford said after the Game 5 Finals win. "And we both after the meeting were like 'Did you notice that?'...I never forget what Danny Ainge told me in that meeting he said 'You can win championships in many places but there is nothing like winning in Boston, nothing like winning as a Celtic,' and that stuck with me from that meeting."

In 2019 when he left for other opportunities, many thought he was washed and his career would soon draw to a close. Celtics General Manager Brad Stevens thought differently, having coached Horford from 2016 to 2019, and traded for him in 2021. Allowing many fans to dust off their #42 jerseys and rejoice that Horford was back home. In retrospect, the trade was a steal for Boston.

"And the fact that [a Championship] has come, it has happened, [Tatum and Brown] stepping up in a big way leading us, it's special," Stevens said.

Al Horford has cherry on top of a sealed legacy with Celtics

Horfords remarkable odyssey as a basketball player includes many accolades. He won two NCAA championships at Florida and was a five-time NBA All-Star. He has one All-NBA Third Team appearance, one All-NBA Defensive Second Team appearance, and an NBA All-Rookie First Team appearance. And now he is the first Dominican NBA Champion.

It's difficult to say where the Celtics would be without Horford. His intangible leadership qualities have shown themselves within the organization and are also reflected back in every player he has impacted. The effect he will have left behind goes beyond any box score or resume. He is invaluable.

Horfords career isn't completely over, but it is in its twilight. Now that he and the 2024 team can be recognized as the Banner 18 Celtics, he should also be coronated individually with No. 42 in the rafters.