BOSTON -- The moment Billy Donovan learned what kind of competitor Al Horford is remains as clear in his memory as if it happened this week -- and not 20 years ago.
"I'll never forget it," says Donovan, Horford's coach at the University of Florida who is now in charge of the Chicago Bulls.
Donovan was deep into a recruiting battle to sign Horford -- then a leading prospect out of Michigan -- and went to watch him play in the Adidas Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas.
Horford's Michigan Mustangs had made, in his words, an "improbable" run to the title game, where they faced the Atlanta Celtics -- one of the greatest AAU teams ever assembled -- who boasted future NBA stars Dwight Howard and Josh Smith.