If you had a nickel for every player 7-foot-6 or taller to suit up for the Sixers, you’d have two nickels.
But it’s still crazy it’s happened twice.
The 7-foot-7 Manute Bol and the 7-foot-6 Shawn Bradley both played in parts of three seasons for the Sixers. Tacko Fall is hoping the third time is the charm.
The 7-foot-6 Senegalese big man is back in the NBA after signing a two-way contract this past weekend. When/if he does take the court for the Sixers, it will be his first NBA minutes since December
of 2021.
While there’s been intrigue about Fall and his unique size dating back to his days at UCF, it also came with questions about his mobility and ability to deal with elite athletes. Those were doubts Fall let creep into his own mind at times.
His years overseas have put him in a better place.
“Physically and mentally,” Fall said about where he’s improved. “I feel like when you — I won’t even say seven-foot-plus — but when you reach a certain height, there’s a picture that most people have of you of, ‘OK, can he do this? Can he do that?’ Where mentally you might doubt [yourself], but for me, I feel like I was always capable of that, it’s just pushing myself to realize that and be consistent with it, and that also comes with being in great physical condition.”
Luckily for him, there are a couple familiar faces around to help him as he reacclimates to the NBA.
Fall and Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey overlapped in Cleveland in 2021-22. By that time, Gansey was transitioning from assistant general manager to general manager under Koby Altman. Fall was in his third season after two years with the Boston Celtics.
Fall doesn’t take that familiarity for granted.
“Great guy. Always positive,” Fall said of Gansey after practice Sunday. “We joke around. Like he would walk around the court every morning [in Cleveland]. I would see him walk around, and he’s doing the same thing [here], and he’s been like that for years. But I’m happy also. Like I got to come here and see another familiar face, which kind of helps with the comfort level.”
On the court is an even bigger connection. Newcomer Jaylen Brown was teammates with Fall for both of his seasons with the Celtics. The two became extremely close, with Fall naming Brown the godfather of his second daughter.
Even as Fall’s career took him far, far away from Boston, the two remained close.
Imagine telling either of them that they’d reunite in Philadelphia.
“Jaylen is my brother,” Fall said. “We built a great relationship throughout the years, even while I was away. He’s family. … Throughout the years, we built such a great relationship, and for me, I’m very happy that we get to play together.”
But this isn’t just a feel-good story. The Sixers need depth at the backup center position. Fall offers a unique option in several ways.
Once Ariel Hukporti went down with a season-ending Achilles injury, the Sixers had little recourse to make a move. They have 14 of 15 standard roster spots filled, but are hard-capped at the first apron, meaning they’re unable to sign a veteran center to a minimum deal. Their simplest path was adding a two-way player.
In Fall, they get a player with professional basketball experience, both in the NBA and overseas. The 30-year-old has been on a journey since going undrafted out of UCF in 2019. After two seasons in Boston and one in Cleveland, Fall has spent the bulk of his time in China, with a stint in Australia mixed in.
The most obvious strength for Fall is his size. At 7-foot-6 and 311 pounds, he will be the tallest active player in the NBA once he takes the court. It makes it obvious where Fall could fit in the Sixers’ center mix. With Joel Embiid’s health always a concern, those playing behind him are critical to team success.
Fall said going up against Embiid in practice has been “very motivating,” and called the former MVP “probably the best big in the NBA.” That’s what makes it critical to have depth behind Embiid.
With Adem Bona and Jabari Walker (and the currently banged-up Dean Wade and Dominick Barlow) being a little undersized, Fall is an ideal option for when the Sixers come across a bigger opponent — especially if it happens during a back-to-back.
Though he missed all of the preseason and most of camp, the team was intrigued by what they saw prior to his hip injury.
“I did get to see a good chunk of him prior to kind of the injury,” Nick Nurse said. “How I plan on using him, probably remains to be seen. But kind of was intrigued and liked what I saw in the fall. So we’ll see what happens.”
Fall spoke candidly about the scrutiny he’s faced because of his size and perceived lack of mobility. He bided his time overseas, building confidence in himself as a player and person.
Now, he’s just looking for an opportunity.
“I was a little speechless, to be honest,” Fall said about learning he’d been offered a two-way deal. “Like I said, I’ve had quite a few challenges since I left, and … after all these years and after all the hard work, I think it means a lot more.”
