Love/Hate series: T.J. Leaf

You’ve got to love T.J. Leaf’s skill-set even as a rookie with the Indiana Pacers. His body, as it should be for a 20-year old, is a work in progress.

There really is no such thing as a perfect basketball player.

Even LeBron James has flaws. For example, LeBron is a below average shooter, Shaq couldn’t hit a free throw to save the free world. Nobody is pefect.

That being said, Pacers rookie T.J. Leaf has his fair share of positives and negatives. Here are some things I love, and hate, about the 20-year old forward out of UCLA.

Love: Shooting

Trust me, one of my biggest pet peeves of today’s NBA is how some people value length over skill-set. Leaf doesn’t have the best measurements, but he’s such a skilled basketball player. Leaf is a 6’10” power forward who shot over 46 percent on three-pointers in college. I don’t care if they weren’t NBA threes, that percentage for a big guy like Leaf is outright impressive.

More from Pacers News

• 2 Studs, 1 dud from gut-wrenching Indiana Pacers loss to Charlotte Hornets
• Handing out early-season grades for Pacers’ Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin
• 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
• 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
• Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?

Leaf doesn’t just settle for three-pointers, though. Despite his thin frame, he’s very solid inside the paint. He has some moves and finished around the basket very effectively in college. On two-point field goals, Leaf shot over 64 percent. This kid just finds a way to put the ball in the basket.

One more thing I love about Leaf is his stealth athleticism. Those are two words I’ve used to describe Leaf quite often.

In college, he threw down some impressive dunks. He also grabbed some rebounds over multiple players. Some people look at Leaf and instantly write him off as a non-athletic power forward. That’s not the case.

Let’s see if this clip will convince you. The announcer was even caught off guard with this slam.

Hate: Undersized

This is a problem for most players coming into the league: they’re too skinny. Thankfully, they’re so young and have plenty of time to develop their bodies. Leaf may have a hard time containing some of the bigger guys. Expectations aren’t high on the Pacers this year and Leaf won’t have as much pressure on him. The team can still win plenty of games, but it’s a year about developing young players.

Leaf’s biggest weakness is his defense. I wouldn’t say he’s flat-out bad on defense, but he’s below average. He needs some discipline.

Thankfully for Leaf, the Pacers have some defensive dynamos on their coaching staff. Nate McMillan, rightfully so, earned himself big time reputation as a defender in his playing days. As a coach, he’s also been known primarily for his defense. Dan Burke, an assistant coach, has been the mastermind of the Pacers’ defense over the years.

Next: Love/Hate Series: Darren Collison

Leaf is a very talented player and Pacers fans should look forward to watching him develop during his rookie season. With he and Reggie Miller’s draft stories connecting, we can only hope he turns out to be a Pacers’ great.