Report: Fan Favorite Tacko Fall To Play For Jazz In Summer League
Jul 2, 2022, 1:56 PM
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 15: Tacko Fall #99 of the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on October 15, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
SALT LAKE CITY – Mark your calendars for “Tacko Tuesday” after reports that 7’6 center Tacko Fall will play for the Jazz in Salt Lake and Las Vegas summer leagues.
ESPN’s Marc J. Spears first reported the signing via Twitter on Saturday, July 2.
With Rudy Gobert gone, Jazz checking out another giant in 7-6 free agent center Tacko Fall. Fall is playing on Utah’s summer league team and is connected to Danny Ainge dating back to his time with the Celtics.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 2, 2022
Born in Dakar, Senegal, Fall played four season for the Central Florida Knights. In 115 games, Fall averaged 10.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
As a senior, Fall gained national attention during the 2019 NCAA Tournament when he led the Knights to a first round win over Virginia Commonwealth before falling to Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and the Duke Blue Devils 77-76 in a tournament classic. Fall averaged 14 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks per game in the 2019 NCAA Tournament while taking advantage of his length to go 13-19 from the field.
This Tacko Fall dunk is my favorite dunk in the history of the NCAA Tournament. #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/5JyhW1SWSL
— Jeff D. Lowe (@JeffDLowe) March 24, 2019
Fall signed as an undrafted free agent with the Boston Celtics and current Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, then Celtics President of Basketball Operations. Fall immediately became the tallest current player in the league. He is tied with four players as the second tallest player in league history, trailing 7’7 Gheorge Muresan and Manute Bol.
In 26 games across two seasons in Boston, Fall averaged 2.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game while playing fewer than seven minutes per game.
Fall played 11 games last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers where he logged 1.1 points and 2.1 rebounds.
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Replacing Gobert
Fall is the most experienced center currently on Utah’s summer league roster as he joins rookie Kofi Cockburn out of Illinois.
Cockburn was one of the most productive players in college basketball last season averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Illini.
Cockburn is a throwback big man with a bruising seven-foot, 285 frame which he uses to bully smaller opponents near the rim.
I talked to @IlliniMBB center and the newest @utahjazz center Kofi Cockburn before the draft, this is what he told me.#TakeNote | @kslsports pic.twitter.com/kErQUpcHvu
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) June 24, 2022
The Illinois center worked out for the Jazz during the predraft process and was quick to sign an Exhibit 10 deal with the team soon after the draft.
The Salt Lake Summer League is set to begin on Tuesday, July 5 at Vivint Arena. The Memphis Grizzlies face the Philadelphia 76ers in the first game with tipoff set for 5 p.m. (MST). The Jazz then host the Oklahoma City Thunder in the nightcap. Both games can be seen on ESPN.
