The worst fears of NZ Breakers fans may have come to fruition, with towering 2.29m Tacko Fall limping off the court against Perth Wildcats, as the roster suffered a potential blow at the centre spot.
The tallest man to play in the Australian NBL, Fall's arrival has been much anticipated for more than a month, after he first linked with the Auckland team during their three-game NBA exhibition schedule, then followed them home to rehab a quad injury.
The club had to part company with well-performing American Freddie Gillespie to make room for the Senegalese star, who enjoyed a brief NBA stint with Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming a fan favourite, despite his infrequent appearances on court.
The 2.29m Breakers centre suffered a leg injury and left the game. (Source: TVNZ)
As Gillespie settles into a lucrative contract with Olimpia Milano in Italy, his replacement has lasted less than 20 minutes across two games, before hobbling to the locker room in the second quarter at Perth. The injury seems likely to delay his 'home' debut, scheduled for Christchurch on Thursday, before a return to Auckland's Spark Arena on Saturday.
"I actually don't know too much," reflected Breakers coach Petteri Koponen. "He got some kind of hit to his knee.
"I don't have more information. We will see in the next days how he responds, but it's unfortunate."
Fall entered the 123-112 defeat to the Wildcats early, after Aussie centre Dane Pineau also departed with an injury, reported by sideline commentators as a meniscus tear in his knee. His subsequent loss left starter Sam Mennenga as the only true 'big' to patrol the paint and he responded with a valiant 25 points.
"Let's hope it's not too serious, not too bad," said Koponen. "No time to rest."
In the 19 minutes 53 seconds he logged for the Breakers, Fall teased his potential, swatting five shots against Illawarra Hawks and another against Perth, while converting 5/6 from the field. Once established under the basket, he proved hard to stop with ball in hand, dunking without having to leave the ground.
The biggest concerns were always likely to be mobility and durability. His reluctance to move out of the paint on defence often left Wildcats star Bryce Cotton wide open from mid-range, as he accumulated a league-record 59 points.
Fall was ultimately injured battling for offensive position, as smaller markers used their leverage to move him off his preferred spot.
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