Al Horford isn’t retiring, and apparently never even considered it.
People have been interested to know of his decision regarding retirement, given that he just helped the Boston Celtics win a championship in his 17th season and he just turned 38 years old.
But his sister, Anna Horford, has spoken out on retirement rumors surrounding her brother, which she deems “weird,” in the wake of her brother saying that he plans to return for season 18.
“Rumors about Al retiring were always weird,” she said on her X account. “It’d be one thing if he were a minimal bench player… He started the majority of the playoffs (and) was crucial to the (Celtics’) success.”
Horford himself said in a press scrum on Sunday that he plans to come back.
He even laughed at rumors suggesting otherwise.
“I don’t know how that started, to be honest. I’m coming back,” he said. “That’s the plan. We already talked about the offseason.”
He added, “I’ll start training in a couple of weeks again and kind of get it going.”
Horford was one of the Celtics’ most meaningful players all season long, and minus temporary stints in Philadelphia and Oklahoma City from 2019-21, has been a staple in the organization since 2016.
Horford averaged 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game during the season.
In the playoffs, in an increased role due to Kristaps Porzingis’ injury, Horford elevated to 9.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest.
He also had nine points, nine rebounds and two steals in the Game 5 championship clincher.