Around 200 students listened as NBA Boston Celtics player Tacko Fall discussed the intersection of faith and sports during a conversation hosted by the Islamic Center at NYU and the university’s Black Muslim Initiative on Monday night.

During the event, Fall, who was raised Muslim, discussed his journey moving from Senegal to the United States at the age of 16 after a coaching group discovered him, along with his experience playing basketball in high school. Fall said that he has always kept one thing constant in his life — his faith. 

“Faith has been the biggest part of my success,” Fall said. “It’s been the one thing that I feel like I’ve consistently been able to hold on to through the ups and downs, especially playing professional basketball. It’s fun, but it’s a lot, and holding on to my faith has been huge for me.”

Fall detailed his desire to quit basketball during his early years, having started later than other players, but said that he persevered and improved as he played more consistently. He eventually joined the basketball team at the University of Central Florida, and he began to receive other collegiate offers once videos of him playing went viral.

On the court, Fall wears the number 99 on his jersey. He said that it is one of the ways he keeps faith with him when playing basketball, as there are 99 different ways to refer to God in Islam.

“I wanted to have something that always reminded me of what is close to me,” Fall said. “Some people write stuff on their shoes, some people write something on their wrist, and for me, it was to put that on my jersey, just so every time I get on the court, it gives me extra confidence.”

Fall ended the conversation by advising students to work hard, have something that can ground them, stay disciplined and constantly work on good habits.

The BMI, a group that focuses on building a community for Black Muslims at NYU, was involved in preparing questions and planning the layout for the event. BMI mentorship chair and junior Hadja Diallo emphasized the importance of holding events, such as the discussion with Fall, to help minority students feel like they belong.

“It’s always nice seeing somebody that looks like you and where you want to be, and I think that’s what really matters,” Diallo said. “Seeing that ‘ok if he did it, I could do it.’ Him being in the position that he’s in just shows it is not impossible.”

JD and MBA student Walla Elshekh, an attendee at the event, said in an interview with WSN that she was inspired by Fall’s commitment to faith, as being faithful “instills values of discipline, perseverance and humility” that hold significance in sports and life.

“For Muslims, hearing someone successfully navigate the challenges of balancing their profession with their religious obligations can be both empowering and inspiring,” Elshekh said. “It allows others to see that their struggles and experiences are shared, which can foster a sense of solidarity and provide role models for how to remain true to one’s values in the face of challenges.”

Contact Liyana Illyas at [email protected].