Tacko Fall’s next trip home will include one of the most daunting challenges of fledgling NBA career.
Drew Hanlen, the Boston Celtics center’s skills coach, plans to pit the 7-foot-6 prospect against Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid next week during some private workouts. Hanlen and clients Fall and Embiid are part of the delegation the NBA will send to Senegal for the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp.
While Fall undoubtedly will enjoy being in his hometown, Dakar, Senegal, between Sunday and next Wednesday, he’ll also test his developing skills against one of the NBA’s elite centers.
“I’ll throw him up against Joel a little bit, and he’ll get to work out some with Joel, which will be a really good experience for him,” Hanlen told The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach on Wednesday.
Fall drew rave reviews earlier this month during his stint on Boston’s NBA summer league team. However, the level of competition he faced in Las Vegas doesn’t compare to what Embiid, an All-NBA second-team center, can pose next week.
Fall’s fans should hope his workouts with Embiid will sharpen his skills and enhance his development, with the start of Celtics training camp just over the horizon.
