Al Horford and Brad Stevens first faced off in 2007. Now, 17 years later, an NBA championship would represent a coda to a nearly two-decade-long connection -- one that began with an epic March Madness clash.
) is a senior writer for ESPN Digital and Print, focusing on the NBA. He has covered the Lakers, the Celtics and previously worked for The Boston Globe and Los Angeles Times.the rebound near the 3-point line as the clock ticked down, the score tied at 54. It was March 23, 2007. On the other end, the 6-foot-9 forward backed down a defender who was four inches shorter than him and 20 pounds lighter. As he drew closer to the basket, the whistle blew, and Horford softly laid the ball in the basket.
A championship would also serve as a crowning achievement for Stevens, the Celtics' president of basketball operations who recently earned NBA Executive of the Year honors after constructing a roster that has brought Boston to the brink of its 18th championship. As his own NBA career began to unfold, Horford watched Stevens' teams at Butler, and later, when Stevens departed Butler to become the Celtics' head coach in 2013, the two faced each other regularly.
"We're very much on the same page, and we both very much care," Stevens said."That is clear as day with him. He enjoys the camaraderie part of it. He enjoys everybody playing for one reason. It's really inspiring to be around him because of that -- that concept of we're in this together, we share results and we're gonna give it all for each other. Though it may sound cliche or may sound cheesy, that's what it's all about. That's why he's so special.
Horford agreed to a four-year, $113 million deal, becoming the biggest free agent signing in Celtics history. "He was never late, always on time, always getting his work in, in the gym, always taking care of his body," Tatum said then."I learned a lot from him from a routine standpoint, and as I've gotten older, our relationship has grown. It's based off respect: the respect that I have for him and likewise. And we know we need each other.
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