Leaf has plenty of potential

He spent a year in college, but T.J. Leaf wasn’t finished studying.

The UCLA power forward went into the NBA predraft process with some understanding of the teams he’d be meeting with. He knows their rosters from “being a gym rat and watching basketball,” he told reporters at last month’s draft combine, and from his video-game days with NBA2K.

But he wanted to know even more.

“I definitely do my homework when I’m going to meet with a team,” Leaf said at the combine. “I want to do my part just like they’re doing their part to know me.”

Leaf wanted to go in with a feel for his best fits.

In the modern NBA, there could be a lot of them.

At 6-foot-10, Leaf can finish at the rim. He can knock down a mid-range jumper. And he’s shown he can stretch the floor from behind the 3-point line.

“I’m able to score on three levels, which a lot of bigs are not able to do,” Leaf said at the combine. “I think I can do it consistently as well, and I think that’s becoming a premium in the NBA.”

It’s at a premium in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder holds the No. 21 pick and where 3-point shooting from the four spot was a rarity in 2016-17.

The primary power forwards who finished the season on the Thunder roster — Domantas Sabonis, Jerami Grant and Taj Gibson — made a combined 95 3-pointers.

The Rockets’ Ryan Anderson made 204 by himself.

That’s not to say every team needs an Anderson. But today’s NBA requires floor spacing. And with the Thunder facing the uncertainty of Gibson’s free agency, a versatile offensive player like Leaf could have some appeal. There are drawbacks. While his 46.6 percent 3-point shooting at UCLA was eye-opening, he posted 58 attempts, just 1.7 per game.

Leaf still is most comfortable in the paint or as a mid-range shooter. In an analysis of 83 games dating back to high school, DraftExpress found that he took 84 percent of his field-goal attempts from two-point range, and in the NBA, he’ll have to adapt to an even deeper 3-point line.

Leaf’s position, too, is a question mark. He lacks the bulk to defend stronger post players, and it’s unclear if he has the quickness to defend versatile power forwards who play facing the basket.

Still, Leaf is a good rebounder – he averaged 11 boards per 40 minutes at UCLA – and has an appealing offensive game.

He was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, where his father Brad was playing professionally. Brad Leaf told The New York Times that his experience playing against Europeanstyle big men influenced his son’s early basketball development.

After the Leaf family moved to Southern California, Brad told The New York Times, “just kept having (T.J.) play on the perimeter,” even as he grew to 6-3 by junior high.

As a result, Leaf — who was coached by his father in high school — has a good feel for facing the basket. He can put the ball on the floor. He’s a quality passer who averaged 3.2 assists per 40 minutes as a power forward for the Bruins.

And he has that shooting touch, a quality teams are seeking in their power forwards these days.

“I think it translates well (to the NBA),” Leaf said.