T.J. Leaf is moving from one Pac-12 school to another.
The former Arizona commit pledged to UCLA on Thursday on ESPNU, choosing the Bruins over Oregon and San Diego State.
“After this long decision, I have decided that I will be going to UCLA,” Leaf said on ESPNU Thursday. “I have a great relationship with Coach [Steve] Alford and all of the other coaches there. Every time I go there, it felt like home. After a lot of thought and prayer, I felt like it was the place to be and I’m really excited about it.”
The 6-foot-9 Leaf, out of El Cajon (CA) Foothills Christian, is ranked the No. 5 power forward in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports.com.
“Leaf is a highly skilled power forward with finishing ability in the paint, using his soft touch at the rim, making him a major scoring threat in the paint and from the high post taking his defender off the bounce,” ESPN’s Paul Biancardi said. “He is also a very underrated passer. As a result, his versatility and skills make him a matchup headache for opponents.”
Leaf decommitted from Arizona in August.
“I just think there can be better opportunities for me elsewhere,” he said over the summer.
Leaf joins point guard Lonzo Ball, shooting guard Kobe Paras and center Ike Anigbogu in coach Steve Alford’s 2016 class.
Photo: Kelly Kline / Under Armour
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