Tacko Fall has made quite a name for himself ever since he joined the Boston Celtics in the NBA Summer League. The Senegalese big man has had quite the journey to the NBA.
Fall revealed during the Basketball Hall of Fame's 60 Days of Summer program that playing soccer helped him in his development as a basketball player, via NBC Sports:
“What soccer does is it really helps you with your footwork,” Fall said. “That's the main thing. And as you may have seen, a lot of guys that played soccer before and made the transition to basketball really have a different type of footwork and really can move pretty well. So, I feel like that's what soccer really helped me with.”
Fall played a lot of soccer back in his home land of Senegal prior to moving to the United State in high school.
Scouts were skeptical whether Fall's huge 7-foot-7 frame could keep him on the court. Many pundits thought that the UCF standout's slow feet would hinder him from guarding the quicker and more athletic guards in the NBA.
Fall believes the most underrated part of his game is that he can move his feet well, as opposed to what nearly every front office in the league thought when they passed on him during this year's draft.
The Celtics, however, gave him a shot in Summer League. They liked what they saw from Fall and eventually offered the undrafted free agent a contract this upcoming season. With a gaping hole at the center position, Fall could eventually land a roster spot with Boston.
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