Men’s basketball gains second top-15 recruit with T.J. Leaf commitment
By Tanner Walters
Nov. 12, 2015 3:01 p.m.
The best incoming basketball class in the Pac-12 just got better.
Foothills Christian High senior T.J. Leaf, a five-star recruit ranked No. 13 nationally by ESPN, announced that he would be joining UCLA basketball’s 2016 class in a live show on ESPNU Thursday afternoon.
The 6-foot-9 power forward had narrowed his list of final schools to UCLA, San Diego State and Oregon after decommitting from Pac-12 rival Arizona in August. By Thursday morning, over 90 percent of experts at 247Sports were predicting that Leaf would be headed to Westwood, so the basketball standout didn’t surprise many with his decision.
UCLA’s 2016 class now stands at four players, headlined by five-star point guard Lonzo Ball, the No. 11 player in the country according to ESPN, and Leaf. Joining them are four-star center Ike Anigbogu and three-star shooting guard Kobe Paras.
Ball, Anigbogu and Paras each signed National Letters of Intent Wednesday, as the 2016 early signing period opened nationwide. Both Anigbogu and Paras played with Leaf on the Compton Magic – an Amateur Athletic Union club that also includes fellow UCLA oral commits Jalen Hill and Jaylen Hands.
Although all 13 of UCLA’s 2016-17 scholarships are taken, the Bruins were reportedly willing to take junior guard Bryce Alford off of his to open up a spot for Leaf back in August when he first decommitted.
Compiled by Tanner Walters, Bruin Sports senior staff.
