Leading up to the NBA Draft, FOX Sports Wisconsin will take a look at some options for the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 17 overall pick. Next up in the series is UCLA’s T.J. Leaf.
Previously: Jarrett Allen | Terrance Ferguson| Harry Giles
FRAME: 6-foot-9 1/4, 222 pounds (6-11 wingspan)
POSITION: Power forward
2016-17 STATISTICAL AVERAGES: 29.9 minutes, 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 blocks, 0.6 steals, .617 FG%, .466 3P%, .679 FT%
TROPHY CASE: Earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors. … Named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team. … Finalist for Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. … Two-time Pac-12 Player of the Week. … Second-team All-American in high school. … Earned tournament MVP honors in 2015 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championships in Austria.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Leaf knows how to score. He began his collegiate career with a 22-point game and never looked back, scoring in double figures in all but three games. (He was held to eight points by USC and Oregon, and he had to leave a game against Washington after five minutes for an ankle injury.) Leaf’s shooting percentages are worth gawking about, although his 3-point percentage may be a little deceiving because he attempted just 58 3s all season. On Feb. 1, Leaf scored a career-best 32 points off 14-of-18 shooting in a 95-79 win over Washington State.
GET TO KNOW HIM: Ty Jacob Leaf was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, during his father’s 17-year career playing basketball overseas. He moved to Lakeside, Calif., when he was 2 years old and stayed there until his graduation from Foothills Christian High School. Leaf was runner-up to future UCLA teammate Lonzo Ball for California Mr. Basketball in his senior year, but for good reason -- he lost all three matchups against Ball’s Chino Hills squad. Originally committed to Arizona, Leaf reconsidered once rumors were confirmed about fellow first-round prospect Lauri Markkanen committing to the Wildcats. He decided to join Ball at UCLA instead.
One thing you’ll want to know about Leaf: He swings for the fences. Leaf, who once proclaimed himself to be Taylor Swift’s No. 1 fan, invited the pop star to a Bruins game last year.
https://twitter.com/leafsquad22/status/810330082610802690
Unfortunately, she never responded.
WHY IT WORKS: Leaf would add instant offense off the Bucks’ bench at power forward. Ball gave a scouting report of his teammate: “He can post up, he can shoot off the screen, he can handle the ball. If you put a big on him, he can take him out. So I don’t know how teams will deal with his size and his length, along with his athleticism.” Pairing Leaf with Thon Maker or Greg Monroe would be a scary combination of size and offensive prowess.
WHY IT DOESN’T: Like most raw, one-and-done prospects coming into the NBA, defense is the biggest question mark. However, his athletic ability and size give potential into developing into a player that can clog a lane and grab rebounds for head coach Jason Kidd’s Bucks.
FILM ROOM:
It’s too bad T-Swift didn’t see this dunk.
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/817197779487522817
Or this one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEa54L3A__8
Here’s all 32 points from his career-high against Washington State:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dufgc4LZphk
Just another day in the office. 25 points.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20aqXAjEBcw
Just for fun, here’s that Lonzo vs. Leaf high-school matchup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C64pF3bCsBE
