NBA Draft 2019: Comparing giant big man Tacko Fall to Boban Marjanovic

Tacko Fall and Boban Marjanovic were always bound to be compared to each other, but how accurate is the comparison with the NBA Draft coming?

Most basketball players are tall, but for some, “tall” is an understatement. At 7 foot 3, 76er Boban Marjanovic is the tallest player in the league, but UCF‘s 7 foot 7 prospect Tacko Fall will overtake him if/when he steps on an NBA floor.

(Credit to basketball-reference for all statistics, credit to AmericanAthleticConf, SNTV , NCAA March Madness for GIFS)

The 30-year old Marjanovic has played four seasons in the NBA with the Spurs, Pistons, Clippers, and now the 76ers. Despite his height, the 23-year old Fall was largely regarded as a fringe NBA prospect throughout his college career. He’s impressed throughout the draft process, however, and was one of 11 players from the G League Elite Camp selected to attend the NBA combine. It’s unclear whether he’ll be drafted.

As two giants of men, Fall and Marjanovic have predictably received a lot of comparisons, but how similar are these players really? Let’s start with the measurables.

Measurables

The above table reflects what Tacko measured at the recent NBA combine and what Boban measured at the 2009 EuroCamp. Although a lot of time has obviously passed for Boban, his height and weight listings haven’t varied much from then over his NBA career.

What stands out? Both are huge, but Tacko is actually a significant amount taller. In terms of weight, Tacko is built skinnier than Boban, and it’s possible he could put on a little bit of weight to improve his strength. At the same time, some doctors might argue its better for his huge frame to carry less weight rather than more (from an injury prevention perspective).

Statistics

So how do Tacko and Boban compare statistically? The chart below shows each of their stats from this past season (Boban played for both Clippers and 76ers). Obviously, they were playing at different levels of basketball, so the comparison is far from “Apples-to-Apples.” Still, this provides some insight into the two players.

First, Tacko played 25 minutes per game this past season, while Boban played 12 and has averaged 10 minutes over his career. It bodes well that Tacko was able to play this many minutes and didn’t experience too severe of foul trouble (only fouled out in two games all season). But in the NBA, Fall’s idea role would likely be comparable to Marjanovic’s in terms of minutes played.

Looking at rebounding, Boban had a clear edge in terms of defensive boards, and it’s a little discouraging that Tacko’s rate wasn’t a bit higher, especially considering the quality and size of his college competition. For reference, Tacko’s 21% defensive rebounding percentage put him at 174th in college basketball, whereas Boban’s 27% would have put him at roughly 30th in the NCAA. On the offensive end, both players are capable of feasting on the glass, especially if a smaller defender switches onto them.

Both players turned the ball over at moderate levels, but Boban has proven to offer much more as passer, posting a 13% assist rate vs. Fall’s 4%. Both players obviously draw a lot of attention when on the floor, and Marjanovic is more capable of passing out of a double-team.

The 76er also has a huge edge on the free throw line. “Hack-a-Boban” hasn’t been a feasible strategy, as he hit 75% from the line last season. Fall is a different story, however, as he made only 36%. If this doesn’t improve significantly, teams will “Hack-A-Tacko” and it might be difficult for him to stay on the floor.

Although neither is much of a long-range shooter, Boban made 4/8 threes last season, whereas Tacko only attempted one three in his college career. In addition, Boban has a solid mid-range jumper that he uses quite often, whereas almost all of Tacko’s shots come in the paint.

Although it’s worth remembering again that Tacko’s statistics benefitted a lot from the college game, his height advantage may give him an edge over Boban in 2-point percentage and block percentage. Tacko finished shots and blocked shots at significantly higher rates than Boban, and even though NBA players are bigger than their collegiate counterparts, NO ONE is as big as Tacko. This should allow several of the advantages his height has provided to translate to the next level.

If there are any “disadvantages” to being tall, it can make it harder to move quickly and fluidly. And although Fall and Marjanovic both move quite well given their statures, the shorter Marjanovic probably has a slight edge in this regard. But to be fair, Fall moves a lot better than I think the common fan would expect.

Conclusion

Both players are very tall, which inevitably produces similarities. Each have the capability to finish at super high rates around the basket and both move fairly well for their size. Boban is more skilled, however, as demonstrated by his passing ability and mid-range jump shot. Tacko could develop some of this with time, but it’s hard to see him getting near Marjanovic’s level in this regard.

Fall’s height edge can definitely be useful in terms of finishing and defending in the paint, but its unclear if he’ll have any shot at guarding in space (outside the paint) at the NBA level. This is a problem for Marjanovic as well, and is the reason the optimal role for both players likely falls around 10-15 minutes per game (at least in playoffs, could maybe play a bit more in regular season).

At the same time, both players “change the game” when they step on the court, and I think they can be positive contributors to NBA teams. This is something Boban has already proven, and although Fall may have a harder time than his fellow 7-footer in the NBA, I think there’s a place for him as well.