Tacko Fall wasn’t only a sensation during his NBA summer league stint. He also was a teacher.
Boston Celtics center Robert Williams told The Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy on Sunday he learned a lot from the 7-foot-6 prospect during their stint as teammates on the NBA offseason circuit. Not only will Williams, 21, enter Celtics training camp in September with hopes of breaking into the team’s regular rotation, he also will do so with leadership skills Fall helped him hone.
“Tack taught me about patience,” Williams said. “He taught me about patience and about listening. He soaks up everything. He comes and ask me questions. That’s new to me. It’s my second year. But I learned a lot from him.”
“I love Tacko, man. Tacko prepared me for a lot. It’s hard but it’s great practicing against a seven-footer. We teach each other so much stuff. That’s part of me being vocal, too, trying to help Tacko out.
If the Celtics invite Fall to training camp, he’ll have the chance to earn a spot on the roster and launch his NBA career in earnest. Should Fall accomplish that goal, Williams knows he’ll face a competitor and an eager student in the 23-year-old center.
“You can’t run from 7-foot-6,” Williams said. “That’s always annoying, But it’s helpful.”
Fall averaged 7.2 points and four rebounds over 12.6 minutes per game in five summer league contests, but his contributions stretched beyond those numbers.
