Al Horford will suit up as a Golden State Warrior for the 2025-2026 NBA season, officially wrapping his four-year stint and his second tenure with the Boston Celtics.
Bay Area fans welcomed the news with optimism, expecting an even more promising season than last year, while Boston die-hards began their bout with grief, as their contention hopes took another hit.
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However, what Dwight Howard got from this situation was a new source of inspiration and a valuable lesson on career longevity.
Howard and Horford were part of the high school class of 2004, where they were ranked first and 47th in the nation, respectively, according to Basketball Reference.
Dwight decided to forgo college and was drafted first pick overall by the Orlando Magic that year, while Al proceeded to play for the Florida Gators from 2004 to 2007.
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Horford joining the Warriors will mark his 19th year in the league and Dwight couldn’t help but express his respect for the veteran center on social media.
“Al Horford inspiring me man,” he wrote on X. “Same high school class and he [is] still going 😮💨.”
Comparing Superman and the Godfather
Although Howard lasted for 18 seasons, his dominance mainly relied on traditional back-to-basket basketball and his explosiveness as an athletic big.
These physical demands ultimately overworked his body, leading to injuries. Howard’s type of game also decreased in value as the NBA evolved into a fast-paced, three-point shooting league.
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Horford didn’t stick to this play style.
Instead, he adopted a sustainable play that allowed him to survive the league.
He embraced the stretch big position that forwards like Dirk Nowitzki popularized, mainly using solid 3-point and perimeter shooting as their main arsenal.
According to Statmuse, Horford is the 12th-best 3-point shooting big man in NBA history with 976 career 3-point makes, shooting 37.7 percent on 2.3 attempts per game from deep through 18 seasons.
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Horford’s skill set made him valuable to the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder. He was also a part of the Celtics’ 2024 championship team.
With his skills and experience, it’s no wonder the Warriors wanted his services.
A long-time commitment to health and longevity
Horford’s past athletic coaches and trainers could attest that the big man was obsessed with staying healthy and lasting long in the NBA.
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This obsession started all the way from college, according to a 2024 report by The Athletic’s Jay King, where Horford’s athletic trainer in Florida revealed that he’s always had a curiosity to prolong his basketball career.
Since the Atlanta Hawks drafted him third overall in 2007, Horford has never walked away from this commitment to health and longevity.
The report further revealed that Al has sought advice from NBA legends, such as LeBron James, Manu Ginobili and Vince Carter throughout his career.
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He hired a personal chef to keep his diet in check.
He even consulted NFL all-time great quarterback Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero, his fitness and nutrition advisor.
” I don’t want to feel limited. I don’t want to be not myself out there. So, I don’t want to put a limit on it. And that’s the one thing that I saw from Tom (Brady),” he said in an interview with The Athletic. “He never put a limit on when he was going to play and I don’t want to limit myself with that.”
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As the starting center, Horford is expected to contribute on both ends of the floor and provide veteran leadership to the Warriors, especially to the young centers.
At 39, he has achieved longevity, a path only a few modern NBA players were able to achieve.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
