2017 NBA Draft

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2017 Draft: Pacers Acquire TJ Leaf, Edmond Sumner

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18th Picks in the NBA Draft Since 1980

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The fate of TJ Leaf, the Pacers' latest first-round draft pick, has yet to be determined, but this much is clear: he's one of the most fateful first-round picks in the franchise's history.

His father, Brad, is from Indianapolis and played college basketball at Evansville. His mother, Karen, is from Evansville, and has several family members there. He played at UCLA for coach Steve Alford, who is steeped waist-deep in Indiana's basketball tradition. And that bright blue suit he wore Thursday night? It matched the Pacers' shade of blue as well as anything anyone else wore at the proceedings in Brooklyn.

Needless to say, he's heard a few things about basketball in the state.

"Growing up, that's all (my father) talked about: Indiana, Indiana, Indiana," Leaf said Friday at his introductory press conference at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
"Indiana's like a second home to me."

It will become Leaf's first home for the foreseeable future, now that the Pacers have pulled him to Indianapolis by making him the 18th overall selection in the draft. If it's not a match made in heaven, it's at least a match that was made gleefully in the Pacers' draft room.

Team president Kevin Pritchard said Leaf was at the top of all the scouts' lists of realistic candidates for the team's selection, a consensus pick that made him a little uncomfortable.

"I got a little nervous for this draft, because as I wrote those names out and our scouts started to do the rankings, every single time they put TJ first," Pritchard said. "We've never had that. As we start the draft, it was interesting because we were sort of holding our breath.

"I feel like we got a top 10 pick in this kid."

Meanwhile in Brooklyn, the Leafs were holding their collective breath, too. TJ diplomatically said Friday he would have been happy to go anywhere, but that Indiana was one of his leading choices. Brad was more definite, leaving no doubt about his preference.

"He's brainwashed," he said of TJ "He's heard Indiana from me, his mom, from whenever he could start dribbling a basketball. I know he wanted to come here and we wanted him to come here. As a player, you can choose your high school and you can choose your college, but you can't choose your NBA team. He got all three.

Brad Leaf was born and raised in Indianapolis, and lived at 71st and Keystone. He attended several Pacers' games as a kid, and recalls getting autographs from Rick Mount, Billy Keller, Darnell Hillman, and "probably" George McGinnis.

He played high school basketball at Lawrence North, transferring there from North Central during his junior year in school. He began the season with North Central and played off the bench as late as Dec. 10, but by the start of the next semester he was showing up in box scores for Lawrence North. His father orchestrated the move in search of more playing opportunity for his son, a move that would not be legal today. In fact, Leaf believes his move inspired the IHSAA to clarify its transfer rules.

It paid off, though. Leaf, a 6-5 guard, led all Marion County scorers as a senior at Lawrence North in 1978 with a 25.5-point average. Ben Davis' Randy Wittman was second. He took a scholarship to Evansville and became an all-conference player there, and then a seventh-round draft pick of — of course — the Pacers in 1982.

He didn't last long enough in training camp to play in any exhibition games, but had a 17-season professional career in Israel, where TJ was born. The Leafs spent their offseasons in Indianapolis during those years, although TJ wasn't born until late in his father's playing career.

Brad Leaf, who coached TJ in high school outside of San Diego, endorsed a similar switch for his son in search of opportunity. TJ originally gave a verbal commitment to Arizona but switched to UCLA because he and his father believed Alford's style of play would suit TJ's game. That, too, seemed to work out, as he led UCLA in scoring (16.3 points per game) in his only season with the Bruins while shooting 62 percent from the field and 47 percent from the 3-point line.

He solidified his appeal to the Pacers in his pre-draft workout. Matched up against Moses Kingsley of Arkansas, he displayed a versatile game that convinced the Pacers he can score from anywhere on the court, handle the ball well, and excel as a playmaker with his passing ability.

"I think he's really comfortable both inside and out," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "When we bring guys in to work out, we try to put them in situations where they have to read and react. We put them in situations where they have to switch, guard both big and small, and show versatility.

"Right away in the hour I had to see him in that workout, I got a good feel that his basketball IQ was very high."

Although Leaf is regarded as an athletic finesse player, the Pacers believe he'll fill out as he matures and make use of his natural aggression. He averaged 8.2 rebounds at UCLA, a half-rebound short of leading the team.

He considers himself "stronger than people think," and looks forward to getting back in the weight room.

"He goes and gets dirty rebounds," Pritchard said. "When there's multiple players around, he's not afraid to go get it. He's not afraid to play physical."

"He's quiet, but he's a fierce competitor," Brad Leaf added. "He's one these guys who's really quiet, and you might think he's passive, but he's not. It's just his personality. He's quiet, but he wants to destroy you."

Dad also says TJ is an underrated defender, the area where NBA scouts believe TJ will struggle most at first. Dad also believes TJ is a late-bloomer physically, as he had been, and will naturally become stronger and quicker.

Dad's biased, of course, and only time will tell. For now, Brad Leaf is just happy his son is heading to his virtual home.

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Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Indiana Pacers. All opinions expressed by Mark Montieth are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Indiana Pacers, their partners, or sponsors.

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Leaf Happy to be "Home" in Indiana

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TJ Leaf, the 18th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, held an introductory press conference on Friday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

"I'm extremely excited to be here," Leaf said. "Indiana is like a second home to me. I can't wait to really get out here and start getting to work with all my teammates."

Leaf, a 6-10 power forward, turned pro after his freshman season at UCLA, where he played for head coach Steve Alford. He led the Bruins in scoring, averaging 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 61.7 percent from the field and 46.6 percent from 3-point range.

Leaf's mother is from Evansville and his father, Brad, grew up in Indianapolis and attended Lawrence North before starring at the University of Evansville. He was drafted by the Pacers in the seventh round in 1982, though he never played for the franchise. He did, however, enjoy a lengthy professional career in Israel, where T.J. was born in 1997.

Leaf was joined at Friday's press conference by Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard and head coach Nate McMillan.

"We're really excited," Pritchard said about drafting Leaf. "We feel like we got a top-10 pick in this kid. And when you're picking 18, that's pretty good.

"We expect him to come in and compete right away. He has some amazing offensive tools."

Pacers.com's Pat Boylan also hosted a Facebook Live Q&A with the Pacers forward, answering questions from Indiana fans. You can watch both Leaf's press conference and Q&A in the video player above.

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TJ Leaf Holds Introductory Press Conference

Comb through the data, videos and critiques surrounding UCLA's T.J. Leaf, and it doesn't seem possible he'll ever slip into the "bust" zone. His shooting touch, versatility, athleticism and basketball pedigree should make him a solid NBA player, at least.

The question for the Pacers, who took the 20-year-old Leaf with the 18th selection in Thursday's NBA draft, is whether he can rise beyond "solid" to the atmosphere of "steal," and that answer won't come for a few years.

The Pacers took another UCLA big man, 18-year-old Ike Anigbogu, with the 47th overall pick, and then sent cash to New Orleans to select point guard Edmond Sumner with the 52nd pick.

Leaf's dossier is free of blemishes, aside from concerns about his strength and quickness – which could diminish as he grows older. He's 6-foot-10, runs the floor well, has a variety of ways to score, rebounds aggressively, plays hard consistently, and has the basketball pedigree of a coach's son.

That coach, Brad Leaf, happens to be from Indianapolis. He played at Lawrence North High School, then at the University of Evansville, and then became a seventh-round draft pick of the Pacers in 1982. He didn't survive training camp, and played in Israel for 18 seasons before becoming a coach – his son's coach at Foothills Christian High School in El Cajon, Calif.

Leaf led UCLA in scoring last season with a 16.3-point scoring average, but was overshadowed by teammate Lonzo Ball, who was taken by the Lakers with the second overall pick on Thursday. Leaf hit 62 percent of his field goal attempts, including 47 percent of his 58 3-point shots in his only season at UCLA. He also averaged 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 blocks.

He had 11 pre-draft workouts for NBA teams, and impressed the Pacers both in his on-court performance and post-practice interview.

"The kid was excited to be here and to be working out," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "These guys have gone through a number of workouts before coming to us, but he was ready to go. He had a really good workout. He had good energy, a good motor. When I had the opportunity to spend some time with him, we had a good conversation. Polite young man, humble, understands where he's going and what he needs to do. I think he's going to be a successful pro."

NBA draft picks are inevitably compared to veteran NBA players as part of the attempt to quantify them, and white players are inevitably compared to other white players. McMillan was asked if Leaf reminded him of his former teammate in Seattle, four-time all-star Tom Chambers. McMillan hedged on that, but later offered Nick Collison as a comparison.

The 6-10 Collison, drafted 12th by Seattle in 2003 when McMillan coached there, was still in the league last season. He's been a pro of the solid variety, never averaging in double figures but has provided steady production in Seattle and Oklahoma City, spending his entire career with the same franchise.

The Pacers will hope for more than that from Leaf, who at the very least is a superior 3-point threat and probably more athletic than Collison. He's regarded as a classic "spread four" who can play inside and out, one capable of complementing Myles Turner, who attended the draft in New York on Thursday and spoke with Leaf.

"I think I'll complement him really well with my playmaking abilities," Leaf said of Turner. "It gives us the ability to put five guys on the floor who can stretch it and shoot the three. That's something that teams have trouble guarding."

Pacers president Kevin Pritchard called Leaf a "new-age four" for his ability to play on the perimeter but still score at the rim.

"And he runs," Pritchard said. "He's a gazelle. He loves to run."

One more thing about Leaf, which takes on added importance given the recent news about Paul George. He has made it clear to all he's truly excited to be in Indiana, where many relatives and friends of his family still live.

"I couldn't be happier that it's Indiana," Leaf told reporters via telephone hookup.

That sentiment sounded better than ever to the Pacers, in light of Paul George's recent decision to seek a trade.

"As this unfolded, we talked with his agent quite a bit and his agent was adamant – I'm not saying this was a big part of it, but he was adamant about 'I want to be a Pacer,'" Pritchard said. "At the end of the day, does it make a little bit of difference when you make these decisions? Yeah, maybe today it did."

Like Leaf, Anigbogu is a 6-10 one-and-done player out of UCLA who runs the floor well, but the similarities end there.

Anigbogu weighs 252 pounds, 30 more than Leaf, and at this stage of his development is strictly a rim protector and inside scoring threat. He averaged just 4.7 points last season, in which he missed the first five games after having arthroscopic surgery to repair the meniscus cartilage on his right knee on Oct. 25.

PHOTO GALLERY: Pacers Draft Ike Anigbogu »

He was a highly-regarded recruit out of high school in Corona, Calif., but averaged just 13 minutes in 29 games for UCLA. He's regarded as a project, but one with the physical tools to make it in the NBA once he matures beyond his teenage years.

"We needed some physical toughness," Pritchard said. "When he got there, we were shocked. We were really shocked."

Pritchard said he expected Anigbogu to be selected from the mid-20s to early 30s in the draft. His knee injury likely scared off some teams. In fact, Anigbogu tweaked his knee in his pre-draft workout with the Pacers, his fourth, and shut it down at that point upon the advice of his agent.

Anigbogu said he doesn't have a long-term concern about his knee. Pritchard agrees, saying the Pacers' front office staff "became comfortable with the medicals."

"As he got closer (to the Pacers in the second round), we felt it was a perfect fit for us," Pritchard said. "Elite shot-blocker. Physical specimen. Tough. We needed some physical toughness and when he got there we were shocked. We were really shocked."

Sumner, a 6-6 point guard, entered the draft after three seasons at Xavier. He also comes with a knee issue, having suffered a season-ending injury on Jan. 29. He played in 21 games, averaging 15 points and five assists. He's said to have exceptional speed in the open court and the potential to become a standout perimeter defender because of his length and quickness.

PHOTO GALLERY: Pacers Acquire Edmond Sumner »

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Youth Movement Underway in Pacers' Frontcourt

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Pacers Acquire Edmond Sumner

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In a packed Barclays Center on Thursday night, the loudest cheer of the night came when the Philadelphia 76ers selected Markelle Fultz number one overall, with Philly fans hailing what they hope is the completion of a years-long process.

The Pacers meanwhile, were getting started on a process of their own, upgrading their roster with a high-level shooter and a high-ceiling forward, both one-and-done products of UCLA. With the 18th pick, Indiana selected UCLA power forward TJ Leaf, giving the Pacers a young and versatile player capable of getting NBA minutes from the start. At 47th, Indiana was able to snag Ike Anigbogu out of UCLA, another player with the ability to grow into a serious weapon in the modern NBA, but one who will need more time before becoming a regular contributor.

To cap off the night, Indiana made a deal to nab guard Edmond Sumner out of Xavier, netting them a total of three players.

Leaf, who just recently turned 20, is already well versed in what it takes to have an NBA-style offense, having helped lead UCLA to a 31-5 record alongside the number two overall pick Lonzo Ball.

When asked how he might fit alongside Turner, whose 3-point shot is starting to develop, Leaf was quick to mention that he too can create space: "I just think my ability to stretch the floor and pass, I think will be a really good complement to Myles in the post."

In his one season with the Bruins, Leaf proved to be a ruthlessly efficient scorer, shooting 61.7 percent from the field, which included hitting on 46 percent of his 3-point shots.

In addition, Leaf displayed good hands on the glass, hauling in 8.2 rebounds per game.

While Leaf is likely ready for NBA action on Day 1, he will have a chance to ease into the NBA waters, since Thaddeus Young projects to be the starting power forward going into next season.

Young shot 38 percent from 3-point distance last year (and was even more accurate before an injury to his shooting wrist), which means Indiana's first power forward off the bench in the 2017-18 season will also be a weapon from deep.

In addition to being a good fit on the court, Leaf already fits off the court, with connections that run deep in Indiana.

"Most of my family is from the Indiana area," Leaf explained. "I spent a lot of time in the summers and whatnot. My Dad was from Indianapolis and my Mom was from Evansville."

Having grown up with Indiana as a second home, Leaf is eager to make it his first home, expressing excitement about getting to work with his new set of teammates.

The selection of Leaf with other highly touted prospects on the board, such as Wake Forest's John Collins, might signal part of a grander plan from the Pacers, grabbing a player with the potential to be an elite shooter at the forward position.

With four forwards on the roster capable of lighting it up from deep at a high level (Young, Leaf, Niang, and Turner), Indiana's guards should have more freedom than ever when it comes to driving the lane, with opposing defenses needing to stay home on Indiana's bigs.

"It's pretty much what this league is going to, bigs who can shoot the ball," explained Pacers head coach Nate McMillan following their selection of Leaf.

Whether or not Anigbogu can shoot the ball remains an unknown, since the 6-foot, 9-inch 18-year-old didn't play big minutes for the Bruins last season. While his averages from his sole year in school — 13 minutes, 4.7 points, and four rebounds — may seem uninspiring, it was Anigbogu's measurements that had some scouts speculating that he may go as high as a lottery pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Anigbogu measured a wingspan of 7-feet, 6-inches.

But, much to the Pacers' fortunes, Anigbogu slid down the draft board, falling all the way into Indiana's lap at 47th overall.

"I wasn't trying to think about where I was going to be picked," said Anigbogu of his draft night. "It's just the right program, had a great workout with (the Pacers), and I have TJ, so basically, this is the number one pick in my heart."

Following his selection and shaking hands on stage with the NBA's deputy commissioner Mark A. Tatum, Anigbogu walked into the main concourse of the Barclays Center, with his family and friends giving him a roaring applause as him and Leaf shared a hug.