Tacko Fall, Ex-Celtics Fan Favorite, Reportedly Makes Next Career Move

Celtics fans have plenty to snack on when it comes to Boston’s current roster.

The Celtics are coming off a season in which they lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals — one year after falling in Game 6 of the NBA Finals — and just shook up their core, to an extent, by trading Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team blockbuster that landed Kristaps Porzingis in Boston.

Still, C’s fans might wonder every now and then: What’s Tacko Fall up to these days?

Not necessarily because Fall was a game-changer during his two seasons in Boston (2019-21). But because the 7-foot-6 center was beloved — by teammates and fans alike — and certainly is easy to root for as he navigates his basketball career.

Well, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported this week, citing sources, that Fall is returning to China this season on a one-year contract with the Nanjing Monkey Kings.

Fall spent last season with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association. The 27-year-old recently played for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Summer League but will head back overseas to continue his hardwood development.

“China was different,” Fall told Charania in an interview shared by the NBA insider on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “I was going into a different country and I had to get used to a lot of stuff besides basketball. It was kind tough because I got there and there was still COVID going on. So, we had to quarantine and we played in a bubble. So, there was a lot to deal with. But I think China was a very good growing experience for me, on and off the court.”

Fall appeared in just 26 regular-season games (and three playoff games) with Boston after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Although he never became a rotational mainstay for the Celtics, coached by Brad Stevens at the time, he earned the respect of his peers through his hard work and his infectious personality.

Fall, a native of Senegal who played collegiately at the University of Central Florida, last played in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers, appearing in 11 games during the 2021-22 season.