Tacko Fall is no spectacle, but his play might soon be

Boston Celtics two way player Tacko Fall has become a sensation because of his height at 7-foot-5, but at times that buzz hides his growth as a player.

There’s the spectacle of Boston Celtics two way center Tacko Fall, and there’s the man.

The spectacle we know, probably too well — a lazy tendency of both fans and writers to frame the 7-foot-5 big man as an attraction to be gawked at simply because of his height.

His teammates and coaching staff would rather we focus on the person, and what he’s accomplished through hard work that rarely if ever receives the same attention as even the possibility of his presence at a Celtics game.

The same thing that makes the UCF player a remarkable player (his height) also creates obstacles, problems most people don’t even think about, never mind encounter.

In regular life, plane rides and even moving around buildings are more complicated, with certain seats simply unable to accomplish Fall’s long appendages and low ceilings contributing to time in the concussion protocol for the Senegalese center.

Maine Red Claws assistant and former Celtics player development coach Alex Barlow notes it creates challenges in Fall’s training as well.

“It’s unique when you’re trying to come up with a player development plan for Tacko. There’s not many guys to compare him to,” Barlow offered (via Forbes’ Chris Grenham).

“You can look at guys like Boban [Marjanovic], Rudy Gobert to an extent, but even then Tacko is still six, eight inches standing reach longer than them. He’s done a really good job in the pick-and-roll. I think he’s shown that he’s more mobile than people might have thought.”

That mobility is getting him big numbers with the Maine Red Claws this season, where he’s averaging 13.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and just under 3 blocks per game this season.

He’s even had some quality run with the parent club on a few occasions, though he still has a ways to go to crack a regular NBA rotation.

Barlow credits his time with the Claws as helping prepare him for those big nights with Boston, with the former Knight showing flashes of something truly impressive at times.

“Offensively, he can obviously post up, he can get offensive rebounds, but I think the area he’s shown the most improvement in is showing more skill,” Barlow explained.

“Whether it’s teams double him in the post and he passes out of it, whether it’s handling it some on the perimeter in our five-out actions – he’s not a finished product by any means and he still has a ways to go with that, but  … to be able to handle the ball some [at his height], to be able to make some of the passes he does, I think he’s improved in that area.”

His teammates have embraced the ever-gregarious Fall, and are protective of him, concerned with how some fans treat him in insensitive ways just because of his height and openness.

Rookie center Vincent Poirier advised the Conakry native to ignore any negative attention, reports Boston.com’s Trevor Hass.

Wing Javonte Green is impressed with his demeanor, noting he didn’t think he’d be able to deal with the attention Fall gets.

“From what I can see, I don’t think you can do a better job at handling all the attention he gets,” Green explained.

“Not even just the fans screaming his name at the Garden, saying, ‘We want Tacko,’ but no matter where we’re at, somebody’s screaming his name.”

“He does a great job at handling the fame and all the things that come with it,” added the Virginian wing.

For the Senegalese big man, his height and opportunity are inseparable, and therefore a blessing. But as he told Forbes’ Sean Deveney, he also wishes he could feel like a normal person at times.

“People, whatever the reason, like me, they come up to me. I can’t complain about that. Sometimes though, you want some quiet, you want it to be normal,” said Fall.

“I don’t want to be a freak show.”

The spectacle should — and looks like it soon will be — on the big man’s game and how he’s grown it this season. Teammate and fellow rookie Grant Williams has also taken note, and sings the praises of his friend.

“He’s a guy that puts the time in,” Williams said of Fall’s relentless work ethic. “He’s not a guy that just comes in and checks the box and moves on. He’s in there consistently with a smile on his face and ready to get better. That’s something that you respect about him. He’s not putting on a show.”

“He’s being himself and being genuine, and he’s truly getting better, both intellectually and physically, every single day,” added the Tennessee product.

It’s far past overdue he’s recognized for that.

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