Jon Horford putting in the work to create his own path to the NBA
As the younger sibling of an NBA All-Star and the son of a former NBA player, it can be difficult to carve out your own path. Jon Horford is still only 24-years-old, and while his journey has not been glamorous to this point, he is doing everything possible to make his own dreams come true.
Horford started his college career at the University of Michigan, the hometown choice for the Lansing-born power forward. However, after spending his first three seasons as a Wolverine, he made the tough decision to transfer to the University of Florida. He spent his senior year playing for Billy Donovan, now the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and finished out his NCAA career averaging 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 20 minutes per game.
After going undrafted last June, Horford played in Summer League with the Atlanta Hawks and attended training camp with the Milwaukee Bucks before being waived in preseason. He only appeared in two total games between the two teams, but he was still able to gain some valuable experience and knowledge moving forward.
“You know what, it was good,” Horford told U&M. “I got to compete at the highest level. I thrive on competition and even though I didn’t play much, I learned a lot. The coaches just told me to play hard and to play with enthusiasm, and that really stuck with me.”
Horford eventually signed with the NBA D-League, and the Canton Charge claimed him from the player pool on Dec. 20. At the time, the Charge were struggling with a record of 7-9. Now breathing down the neck of the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the Central Division, Horford — along with John Holland, who was added to the team the same day — has been instrumental in the team’s turnaround with a 12-4 record since the acquisition.
While the decision to sign with the D-League has worked out for him so far, that doesn’t mean it was as easy decision for Horford to make. Unfortunately the D-League still has somewhat of a “me first” perception, as many players come to the league with a one-track mind to make the NBA and think personal success alone will get them there. Horford is lucky to have landed in a winning environment in Canton, though, and he couldn’t be happier with his teammates.
“I’m in a great situation,” he said. “We have a great group of guys and basketball is easy when guys buy in to the team goal. These guys are like me and they just want to win. Coach tells me what needs to be done and I get in there and do it. I can always control how hard I play and I hang my hat on that.”
The personal stats do not scream “NBA player,” but Horford is doing all of the little things that are required to win. In 16 games with Canton, he’s averaging 4.5 points and 7.7 rebounds in 20 minutes for head coach Jordi Fernandez. Modest numbers, sure, but his rebounding prowess is on par with some of the best in the league. He leads Canton in rebounding even though he’s eighth on the team in minutes per game.
When you look deeper at his rebounding, the numbers are even more impressive. His Defensive Rebounding Percentage (DRB%) comes in at 30.02, which is best in the D-League for players who have appeared in at least 10 games. Who are the players up there with him in that field? Current Atlanta Hawks center Edy Tavares, top prospect Ronald Roberts Jr., and soon-to-be Los Angeles Clipper Alex Stepheson, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. That’s great company for Horford to be in.
Take it a step further and his per 100 possession numbers of 11.3 points and 19.2 rebounds are gaudy. That might raise questions over why he isn’t getting more time on the court, but Horford was selfless as usual in his response: “To be honest, what we’re doing is working. We have a great thing going right now and we all have bought in and fully trust coach.”
That’s just one of the many endearing qualities that ring true with Horford — he wants to win and it comes through in everything he talks about. That sort of attitude is contagious, too, so it’s no surprise the Charge are one of the hottest teams in the league since his addition. But as Horford will tell you, he knows he has improvements to make if he wants to reach his ultimate goals.
“My biggest thing is I need to get more comfortable on the offensive end,” Horford said. “There are times when I’ll get an offensive rebound and I should go up with it, but I kick it out instead of looking at the rim first. A lot of it is mental for me and I’m working on improving that every single day.”
Horford is only shooting 41 percent from the field, a number that definitely needs to be higher considering he stands at 6-10 and 245 pounds. He acknowledges this openly, however, saying that he’s putting in the work every day to become a more complete offensive player. Even though the transformation won’t happen overnight, he knows his day is coming.
Perhaps the best way to put it is this: Right now, Horford is the character in teen movies who is overlooked as the unassuming, lovable guy. Before long, everyone is going to realize that he’s exactly what they have been looking for, and he’s been right in front of them the whole time. Just make sure you’re not one of those fools who miss it.