OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder saw a familiar face during their signature win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
Coming off the bench for the Celtics, Al Horford has enjoyed a successful second stint with Boston. Before returning to the Celtics, Horford spent the 2020-21 campaign with the Thunder.
That was Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault’s first season at the helm and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s first season as OKC’s top option.
Even though he appeared in only 28 games during that season, he built a rapport with both individuals, who have led the Thunder to one of the best records in the league this season.
Before the game, Daigneault spoke highly of Horford, saying how fortunate he was to have such a savvy veteran his first year as head coach.
“I told him this multiple times and as recently as I think this summer,” Daigneault said. “But every first-year NBA head coach should be as lucky as I was to have Al Horford on their team.”
Daigneault reminisced on Horford’s brief stint with the Thunder, praising his professionalism and ability to buy into such a young team at the time after spending years on contenders.
Before the big matchup between two of the best teams in the league, Horford spoke with local reporters to talk about his time in OKC and what he thinks of the Thunder. Here’s what the 37-year-old had to stay on what the Thunder are building:
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.