Tacko Fall can lead a group on the court and off of it.
The Boston Celtics rookie was a guest conductor on Monday night for the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall. The 7-foot-5 center appeared on stage during the holiday classic “Sleigh Ride” with a baton gifted to him by conductor Keith Lockhart.
Fall told the Boston Globe that he had never worn a tuxedo before as he needed a custom-made, size-48 double-extra-long for the event. To prepare for his big role, Fall studied film from when Shaquille O’Neal was a guest conductor in 2010 during his stint with the Celtics.
Fall received a warm ovation from the 2,300 guests in attendance and even threw in a spin move during the playing of the song as he didn’t appear to be nervous at all.
Tacko Fall leading the orchestra through “Sleigh Ride.” He even threw in a little spin. pic.twitter.com/2cXRKbpHbh
— Nicole Yang (@nicolecyang) December 24, 2019
Since joining the Celtics, Fall has been fully embraced by the fanbase. From his first game with the team in Summer League to his brief stint in the NBA, Fall has often received standing ovations, “M-V-P!” chants and warm applause each time he steps onto the court.
Fall has three appearances with the Celtics this season, totaling 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Celtics head coach Brad Stevens even jumped in on the fun after hyping up the home crowd on Friday before subbing Fall into the game.
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