The Summer League in Vegas is the last treat the NBA gives us before the season actually starts. It’s the first chance we get to see rookies with their new teams. While Vegas was buzzing, nobody garnered more attention than Tacko Fall. The 7-foot-6 center didn’t get drafted but that didn’t stop the Tacko hype train. The thing is, that hype is deserved. The former UCF center shined so much during the Summer League that it would be a total disaster if he didn’t make the Celtics roster. Fall deserves an opportunity and is a project worth taking.
We all know the NBA is going with smaller and faster players. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for Fall in the league. The disdain for Fall has gone too far. You can see from that video that Fall does some really nice things. He’s a rim protecter. Fall’s presence is always felt. Brad Stevens talked about this on one of the broadcasts. “You always feel like he’s there” in regards to defending. He can defend shots without really being in the picture. That’s a great quality.
On the offensive end, Fall really has been great. In 5 Summer League games, Fall is shooting 77 percent from the floor! 17-22 from the floor is great efficiency. If he catches it in deep, it’s a dunk. Fall’s rebounding radius also creates easy baskets. Something the Celtics couldn’t have been more dreadful at a year ago. Even Fall’s mobility. For a player so tall, I thought he moved fairly well.
The NBA community is way too low on Tacko. It’s time to break out some of those tortillas. I’m not denying that Tacko is very much a project. There’s still a big common sense factor here. Nobody gave Zion Williamson more problems that Fall did. Tacko is 7-foot-6, but he is built. Not like Bol Bol who is rail thin with small shoulders. Why can’t Tacko play 10-15 sporadic minutes a night? You’re telling me he can’t turn into a glorified Andrew Bogut? I’m not buying it. Tack Fall deserves to make the Celtics roster which currently sits at 14 players. The last roster spot for
