Boston Celtics rookie Tacko Fall substitutes his sneakers for flippers as he takes on a new athletic feat: learning how to swim. The basketball phenom and two of his Celtics teammates took to the swimming lanes last month at the Boys & Girls Club in Charlestown, Massachusetts, not far from the Celtics T.D. Garden stadium.
The Senegal native came to the U.S. to play college basketball, dazzling coaches with his height and agility – though not his skills in the water. Fall’s recent signing with the Celtics in June has brought his story, and his towering height, to center stage.
With a shoe size of 22 and hands measuring 10.5 inches in both length width, Fall practically has flippers built into his 7’6” frame. That may help him learn to swim quickly, though his lean frame means he needs extra kick boards to keep him from sinking. And even though he can stand in the deep-end, Fall still displayed a beginner swimmer’s fear of drowning.
For Tacko Fall, Home is Where the Heart is
“I’m from Dakar, Senegal. One of the best cities in the world,” Fall announces proudly in his documentary episode on “Overtime”. In 2012, he moved to the U.S to play high school basketball for a Houston, Texas charter school, where he was continually scouted by eager collegiate coaches while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and landing in the 95th percentile of SAT-takers.
With these impressive athletic and academic accolades, Fall landed a spot as a center at the University of Central Florida in 2015. He was officially the tallest player in college basketball in 2016. Now, he boasts the title of tallest active NBA player, just an inch shorter than the all-time (now retired) tallest NBA players, Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan. “Obviously I stand out,” Fall says. “Because I was given a gift.”
Fall knew that his basketball journey would take him away from his family and traditions in Senegal. To celebrate his roots and help keep himself grounded, Fall chose jersey number 99 to represent the 99 Names of Allah.
Soon after the draft, Fall continued his preseason with his first trip back home to Senegal in seven years. “It was quite an experience,” Fall says. “Going back home was crazy, not just for my family but also for the whole country. I actually met the president. Everyone [was] talking about how to improve this world and Africa.”
A Head Above the Rest
Despite his lack of swimming abilities, Fall has proven himself to be one of the best dunkers and shot blockers in the League. However, even before Fall was drafted into the NBA, his stature made him famous to any basketball fan.
“Airports, any public place, it’s pretty crazy…” Fall says. “Everyone wants a picture.” But Fall does not mind. “You get used to it,” he adds. “It only takes a couple seconds to take a picture and move along.”
Nevertheless, Fall remains humble in the face of both new and old fame. After going undrafted the season prior, Fall says that he approached Summer League with a “chip on his shoulder to show that I can really play at this level.”
“He’s dedicated. He knows what he wants…[and] he’s just a very fun guy to be around,” remarks his trainer Carlos Morales Jr.
Tacko Fall Goes for a Swim
While Fall makes a name for himself on the basketball court, he also hopes to continue learning new skills. This includes continuing his swimming lessons at the Boys & Girls Club.
“I never learned how to swim, which is crazy because I lived right by the ocean back in Senegal,” Fall remarks. “I used to go to school and go back home, but I never really got to enjoy the beaches as much.”
After capping off a swim session with a playful game of Marco Polo, Fall laughs, “I’m a natural. I’m learning how to swim. This is it. I’m learning how to swim. Just give me a couple days.”
But even in the swimming pool, where height matters little, Fall has caught the attention of those around him. Not for his size, but for his attitude. “He’s showing these kids something real important,” notes the CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Boston, Josh Kraft. “It’s never too late. It’s never embarrassing to try something you don’t know how to do.”
