A champion at last, 'Boston man' Al Horford gives back to the city that embraced him

While the rest of his Boston Celtics teammates flocked to Miami to bask in their NBA championship glory, Al Horford says he chose to savor the moment at home in Brookline.

“This is actually the second time I’ve left my house,” he told reporters Thursday at the Raising Canes restaurant on Boston's Boylston Street, where Horford worked an honorary shift serving food to a few lucky fans.

“I’ve just been at home," he said. "I had a bunch of my family over. Just trying to take it all in."

For Horford, who has played six of his last eight NBA seasons in Boston, there’s nothing quite like the place, both as a sports town and as a city.

“I’ve been all over the country, and I haven’t seen the love, the care, the commitment from people, not just for their sports but for their community,” he said.

“I feel like here in Boston, there’s a really tight community," Horford said. "That’s a real thing. Whether I’m out putting gas in my car or at the grocery store, people always say good things, always embracing me and my family. ... That’s what really captivated me.”

This moment has been a long time coming for Horford.

Until Monday, the 38-year-old had played the most games of any active player without winning an NBA championship. Now, he can cross his name off that list, and fans who badly wanted to see Horford win a title as his 17-year career winds down are rejoicing.

Hundreds of people lined up Thursday outside of the Raising Canes on Boylston Street and surrounded Horford as he arrived. Some, like 23-year-old Samantha Robinson, had been waiting outside since 8 a.m. to meet him.

“It’s the best day ever,” she said, holding a banner and No. 42 Celtics jersey with Horford’s name on it for the star basketball player to sign.

Robinson said she and her father — also named Al — are the “biggest Al Horford super-fans.” Sadly, her father passed away before he got to see his favorite Celtic hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy. “But I know he’s watching,” she said.

Later, as Horford left the restaurant, young kids chased after the car he was in just to get a last glimpse of the affable star Bostonians call “Big Al."

“He’s just such a respectable guy,” said 18-year-old Abby Sconyers, a lifelong Celtics fan, outside the restaurant on Thursday. “He loves the game. He’s a Boston man. He’s dedicated, and he seems like such a kind person.”

“He’s a Boston man through and through,” Sconyers’ friend, 20-year-old Anna Samel, added.

The extolling from Boston fans also comes amid a celebration of Horford this week in his birth country, the Dominican Republic. The Celtics' title makes him the first Dominican player to win an NBA championship, as well as one of the few Latino players to do so. His father, Tito Horford, made history as the first Dominican player in the NBA.

Horford told reporters he hasn’t fully processed what the Celtics just accomplished — specifically, winning a record 18th championship banner and breaking a 16-year title drought. But he’s been dreaming of this moment since he came to Boston in 2016 and returned to the team after two brief stints in Philadelphia and Oklahoma City to make it a reality.

“We play basketball for the Celtics, but we understand we represent much more,” he said. “When I came here eight years ago, this is what I envisioned.”

On Friday, he’ll experience his championship first duck boat parade in Boston.

“I have no expectations,” he said with a smile, “but I do expect there to be a lot of great energy. … I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”