HOW AL BECAME A HAWK: Selected as the third overall pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft, Horford was an early-entry candidate. 2007 SUMMER LEAGUE: Limited to four games (two starts) due to a sprained right ankle, and averaged 9.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.5 bpg and 0.5 spg in 28.5 mpg (.342 FG%, .733 FT%) • Suffered the sprained ankle in game two of the Revue, after tallying 18 points and 6 boards in 32 minutes off the bench (6-12 FGs, 6-7 FTs) in his first contest against the host Jazz. COLLEGIATE CAREER: Horford capped off an outstanding collegiate career by helping the Florida Gators to their second straight national championship in 2007, as the Gators became the first school to win back-to-back titles in 15 years • A solid inside presence for UF, he finished his career as the school’s 35th all-time leading scorer with 1,123 points (career averages in 109 games (103 starts) – 10.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.7 bpg, .586 FG%, .624 FT%) • Horford also ended his collegiate career among the top ten leaders in blocked shots (189, 2nd) and rebounding (864, 7th) • He also recorded 28 career double-doubles • Horford and teammates Joakim Noah (Chicago) and Corey Brewer (Minnesota) were taken in the first nine picks, which marked the first time three college teammates were selected that high • In his junior campaign (2006-07), in the title game, his 18 points and 12 rebounds led the Gators to an 84-75 victory over Ohio State (at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome), earning All-Tournament team honors for the second consecutive year • Horford was a third team All-America (by the Associated Press) and first team All-Southeastern Conference player • He had career-bests of 13.2 points and 9.5 rebounds (team-high, 2nd in the SEC), in addition to blocking 1.8 shots (.608 FG%, .644 FT%) in 38 games • Missed two games with a high ankle sprain • His career-high 22 points (also had 13 rebounds) came in a February ’07 game against Tennessee • Horford also took home SEC Tournament MVP honors after totaling 18 points and 12 boards in the championship game over Arkansas • As a sophomore (2005-06), he tallied 11.3 points, a team-high 7.7 rebounds (6th in the SEC) and 1.7 blocks (also 6th in the conference) • The tandem of Horford and Noah dominated inside as the Gators won the school’s first-ever NCAA championship, cruising to a 73-57 win over UCLA at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis • He (as was Noah) was named to the Final Four’s all-tourney team after scoring 14 points and pulling down seven rebounds against the Bruins • A second team All-SEC selection by the league coaches and honorable mention pick from the Associated Press, Horford stepped it up at the most critical times, averaging a double-double during NCAA Tournament play with 11.8 points and 10.0 rebounds • Exceeded expectations as a freshman (2004-05), impressing his coaches during preseason workouts and ultimately working his way into the starting lineup on Dec. 19 and staying there for the final 25 games of the season • Horford quickly developed into one of the top shot-blockers in the SEC, totaling 51 on the year, the highest total by a Gator since Andrew DeClercq had the same number in 1993-94 • The total was the fourth highest in school history at the time • He averaged 5.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks (.480 FG%, .582 FT%) in 32 games.