Boston loves Al Horford and Al Horford loves Boston

Al Horford loves lots of things. He loves his family. He loves Boston Celtics basketball. He loves the Dominican Republic, his home country. But none of those loves were the central focus of Thursday afternoon.

Instead, Horford showed his appreciation for two other loves—the City of Boston and Raising Cane’s chicken.

The newly-crowned NBA champion enjoyed a shift at Canes on Thursday, serving loyal Celtics fans who waited all day to see him. Those at the front of the line were there as early as 7:00 a.m. The event was scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.

Fans formed a massive line down Boylston St. in Boston — one that bent around the corner onto a side street.

“I love Al Horford,” one fan waiting outside told CelticsBlog’s Noa Dalzell. “Greatest player of all time. Dominican Michael Jordan.”

After hours of waiting, fans went berserk when Horford finally showed up for his “shift” at Raising Cane’s. He walked across Boylston, welcomed with a thunderous roar of cheers.

Horford entered the shop and began signing some memorabilia that would be given away to fans who he served. He also made sure to snack on the plate that was put in front of him. The sauce was a real highlight.

“Wow,” Horford said as he chowed down on some chicken dipped in Cane’s sauce. “A little hot, but unbelievable. I think this might be the lunch of champions.”

After Horford finished up his chicken, he headed behind the counter to get to work, and the most dedicated fans, those at the very front of the line, were welcomed in to be served.

Raising Cane’s

Those who got into Cane’s were bursting with joy, and their appreciation for Horford was reciprocated tenfold.

“Man, I just want to tell them thank you,” Horford said of Boston and the fans. “I want to tell them that I appreciate them. We play basketball for the Celtics, but we understand that we represent much more. Boston. We represent the New England area. And I’m just very proud to be able to bring a championship to Boston.

“When I came here eight years ago, this was kind of what I envisioned. And it’s been hard. It’s been a lot of hard work. A lot of tough losses over the years. But just to get to this point, I’m very grateful.”

Alongside Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the rest of the core group, Horford helped Boston bring home Banner 18. Sixteen years to the day after Paul Pierce led the Celtics to their 17th title, the guys in green did it again.

And the big fella wasn’t the only Horford part of the celebration.

His son, Ean, has been with the team for long stretches of the season. He sits right by the bench (or on it) during home games, he traveled with the team for some contests during a school break, and in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, as the clock ticked down to Boston glory, he was in tears.

Derrick White put his arms around him as the Celtics were immortalized in basketball history.

“It was so special. I looked at that video. It was very special,” Horford said. “He’s so involved with the team. He really loves being a Celtic. He just really relishes it. And to see him throughout the season being so invested in it, so committed—my girls, too; my daughters are super into it—but he’s playing now. He’s starting to understand it a little more. For me, the most gratifying part is seeing him happy but also seeing my teammates embracing him.

“I saw in the video, Derrick White went over, gave him a hug, and was all emotional with him. And they really care for him, and that, to me, is the special part. That we not only get to celebrate this with the guys, but we get to celebrate this with our families, and our families are right there. They’re a part of it. We sacrifice so much to be in this position, it was just nice to see him enjoy this moment.”

At the conclusion of his shift, Horford walked out on the patio facing Boylston. Throughout the course of his time in the restaurant, fans outside were chanting for him, and when he finally made his appearance, they went nuts.

Horford signed some autographs, spoke to the fans, and took some photos. The part he played in bringing a title to Boston will get him into the Hall of Fame, but the time he’s spent in the city and how much he’s given his heart to the Celtics organization is what will endear him to the people forever.

Getty Images for Raising Cane’s

The City of Boston is obsessed with Horford, and Horford is in love with the City of Boston. After winning the championship on Monday, owner Wyc Grousbeck confirmed Horford’s return on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show, saying, ““Al is coming back for next year. That’s what I’ve been told.” He continued, “He loves it here. He and his family love it here. He couldn’t be happier. We are all so happy.”

Horford echoed his plans on Thursday. “I don’t know why those speculations were out there, that I was, like, retiring. But I’m still playing and I’m very excited for next season.”

“Man, it’s just a special place to me,” he said. “I feel like, for me, it’s the love of the people here for their sports, for the game. When I came here as a rookie, that captivated me. I’ve been all over the country, and I just haven’t seen the love, the care, [and] the commitment from people towards not only their sports but their community.

“I feel like here in Boston, there’s like a real tight community. Like, that’s a real thing. Whether I’m out putting gas in my car, whether I’m in the grocery store, whatever, people always saying good things. Always embracing me and my family. And it’s everywhere in Mass. We talk about in Boston, but we take my kids apple-picking, we go to the beach, we go to different places, and people are the same. They keep the same energy.

“People really love it here. And for me, that’s the thing that captivated me. Just the sense of community here. Just the togetherness that we have here in Boston. And that’s very special.”