Tacko Fall is a unique player with a unique opportunity

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.

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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.”

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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.”

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On the court is an even…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/tacko-fall-unique-player-unique-155640665.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-19 15:56:00

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