Towering UCF alum Tacko Fall, a crowd favorite, returns to the hardwood in the NBA's star-studded Celebrity Game after years abroad.
Tacko Fall has spent two years away from the NBA playing in foreign basketball leagues, but now, he returns after his introduction as part of the All-Star Celebrity Game roster.
Fall is on the team with ESPN sports reporter and writer Shams Charania, former NBA player Jeremy Lin and Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. He'll be coached by Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers Thanasis and Alex, alongside Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts.
The 7-foot-6 center caught the nation's eye during his time at UCF due to his size and dominance. Fall averaged 10.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in his four years with the Knights.
He committed to the program in 2014 and said former coach Donnie Jones' vision for him is what influenced his decision to join UCF.
"What sold me about going to UCF is everything that they were going to try to accomplish with me on the court and everything that he was going to try to help me off the court," Fall said in an exclusive ESPN interview.
The school parted ways with Jones after a 12-18 and 6-12 All-American Conference 2015 record in Fall's freshman year. Current coach Johnny Dawkins took the mantle the following year and built a relationship with his Senegalese big man.
Dawkins and Fall made the NCAA Tournament in 2019, and Fall was a dominant force in the two games UCF played.
Fall scored 13 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked two shots in his team's 73-58 victory over Virginia Commonwealth. The sheer size posed issues for VCU. Double or triple teams had little effect since his wingspan allowed him to catch passes while towering over smaller defenders.
In the Knights' 77-76 loss against Duke, he recorded 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks. The heartbreaking loss ended Fall's tenure with UCF, and he declared for the 2019 NBA Draft.
Fall was undrafted and signed a contract with the Boston Celtics. On media day, he spoke about Dawkins' belief in him and how he helped improve his game in college.
"Coach Dawkins, even when I was back in school, I feel like he believed in me more than I actually believed in myself," Fall said. "He used to tell me that I was the best big man in college basketball, and it took me a while to start to play like that.
Transitioning to the NBA was difficult, as he averaged 6.2 minutes a game in his three years in the league. Fall spent his first two years with the Celtics, then his final year in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Since then, he's appeared in the 2022 and 2023 summer leagues with the Utah Jazz and the Milwaukee Bucks, but didn't receive a standard or two-way contract. Fall has played for the Xianjing Flying Tigers and Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association. He's also played for the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League.
He currently plays for the Ningbo Rockets and has made a home in the CBA for now until new opportunities arise.
Fall will make his re-appearance in the NBA in the All-Star Celebrity Game next Friday at the Kia Forum at 7 p.m. on ESPN.