Pacers pick at No. 18: TJ Leaf, UCLA forward
The Indiana Pacers selected UCLA forwardTJ Leafwith the No. 18 overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft on Thursday night.
Ford's Big Board ranking -- No. 22: "One of the best pure scorers in the draft. Has a great feel for the game. Can score in the paint or on the perimeter. High basketball IQ. Can handle contact." More (Insider)
Kevin Pelton's stats and scouting ranking -- No. 23: "Leaf will probably need to be an efficient scorer to succeed in the NBA, because he's a relatively weak defender and rebounder for a 4." More (Insider)
Scouting report -- positives:
- Long, athletic big man
- Bouncy athlete that finishes above the rim
- Good shooter with 3-point range
Scouting report -- negatives:
- Needs to add a lot of strength
- Lacks toughness
- Below average defender
Read the full scouting report (Insider)
ESPN Analytics projection (within his first five seasons):
- Chances he'll be an All-Star: 0.74 percent
- Chances he'll be an NBA starter: 15.23 percent
- Chances he'll be a role player: 19.65 percent
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