76ers Sign Tacko Fall, Jameer Nelson Jr
The Philadelphia 76ers signed center Tacko Fall, guard Jameer Nelson Jr. and forward Saint Thomas on Tuesday. Contract terms were not released.
The Philadelphia 76ers announced on Tuesday that they have signed center Tacko Fall, guard Jameer Nelson Jr. and forward Saint Thomas. The team did not reveal the terms of the deals or specify if any are two-way contracts.
Jameer Nelson Jr. is the son of the team's executive vice president of basketball operations, Jameer Nelson, who played 14 NBA seasons.
Tacko Fall's Return
Tacko Fall, who stands 7 feet, 6 inches tall, returns to the NBA after a three-season absence. He previously played parts of two seasons with the Boston Celtics from 2019 to 2021. Fall also appeared in 11 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2021-22 season.
His career NBA averages, compiled over 37 games, are listed below.
| Statistic | Average |
|---|---|
| Points | 2.2 |
| Rebounds | 2.4 |
| Blocks | 0.8 |
| Minutes | 6.2 |
Since his last NBA appearance, Fall has played professionally in China and New Zealand. He most recently played for the Ningbo Rockets in China.
The 76ers have limited experienced depth behind their oft-injured All-NBA center, Joel Embiid. The current backup options are Adem Bona, who averaged 4.8 points in 16.6 minutes per game last season, and Ariel Hukporti, who averaged 2.2 points in 9.2 minutes per game. It is unclear if the team views Fall as a candidate for the main roster or as a player to begin the season with their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
Jameer Nelson Jr.'s Path
Jameer Nelson Jr., a 6-foot-2 point guard like his father, played five college seasons from 2019 to 2024. He suited up for George Washington, Delaware, and TCU. His college career averages are shown in the following table.
| Statistic | Average |
|---|---|
| Points | 13.5 |
| Rebounds | 4.0 |
| Assists | 2.8 |
| 3-Point % | 31.1 |
His most productive season was with Delaware in 2022-23, where he averaged 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Nelson went undrafted and has not played in the NBA. He began his professional career with the Austin Spurs, San Antonio's G League affiliate, in 2024-25. He played for the Stockton Kings, Sacramento's G League affiliate, in 2025-26. Nelson has also played in Canada, China, and Puerto Rico, most recently for Osos de Manatà in Puerto Rico's top league.
Saint Thomas's Profile
Saint Thomas is a 6-foot-7 forward who played four years of college basketball at Loyola, Northern Colorado, and USC. As a senior starter for USC in the 2024-25 season, he averaged 9.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Thomas went undrafted and has played for the Delaware Blue Coats since 2025.
Team Context
The signings follow a remarkable offseason for the 76ers, who traded for Jaylen Brown and signed LeBron James as a free agent. The team will enter the new season with championship expectations.
