The Philadelphia 76ers kept building out their roster on Tuesday, and one of the names they added will look very familiar to Celtics fans.
Among the three players Philadelphia signed was Tacko Fall, the 7-foot-6 center who once turned himself into a cult favorite in Boston. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that Fall’s deal is an Exhibit 10 contract, which gives the 76ers the option to keep his G League rights if he ends up being waived.
Fall’s NBA path started after he went undrafted in 2019 out of UCF, following four seasons there. Boston gave him a Summer League chance, and he used that opportunity to land a two-way contract.
He spent plenty of time in the G League, but he also got into 26 NBA games across two seasons with the Celtics. In that stretch, he became the kind of player a fan base wraps its arms around quickly. Whenever he checked in, the “We want Tacko” chants were never far behind.
Fall was also on the same team as Jaylen Brown, who Philadelphia acquired in a blockbuster trade this offseason.
His NBA appearances have been scarce since then. Fall has not played in the league since the 2021-22 season, when he logged 11 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Making the 76ers’ final roster will be a tough climb, but Philadelphia clearly sees a need for more size at center. Whether Fall can give Nick Nurse what he wants from that spot is now one of the more interesting questions in camp.
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