Recent NBA 1st Round Pick Signs With Team In China

According to Alberto De Roa of HoopsHype, T.J. Leaf has re-signed with the Beijing Ducks.

T.J. Leaf last played in the NBA during the 2020-21 season when he was a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.

That year, Leaf averaged 1.7 points per contest while shooting 50.0% from the field in seven games.

Last season, the 26-year-old played for Beijing Ducks in the CBA and averaged 17.6 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per contest while shooting 50.8% from the field and 33.8% from the three-point range in 37 games.

According to Alberto De Roa of HoopsHype, Leaf has re-signed with the Ducks for the 2023-24 season. 

Zhejiang #GoldenBulls guard Wu Qian and Beijing #Ducks forward T.J. Leaf were named the Players of the Week for Week 4 of the 2022-23 #CBA season, the Chinese Basketball Association announced on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/oHs7Yr4d5a

— Sports China (@PDChinaSports) December 14, 2022

Leaf initially played one season of college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and helped them make the Sweet 16 in 2017.  

Following his productive season, Leaf was selected with the 18th pick in the NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. 

He spent the first three seasons of his career in Indiana before joining the Trail Blazers and has career averages of 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest while shooting 49.2% from the field and 34.1% from the three-point range in 146 regular season games (he has also appeared in five NBA playoff games). 

We're about that Leaf life pic.twitter.com/BFAybScB5q

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 29, 2019

Leaf has played two seasons in the CBA, and before the Ducks, he spent one year with the Guangzhou Loong Lions. 

That season, he averaged 25.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.7 blocks per contest while shooting 56.9% from the field and 30.0% from the three-point range in 17 games. 

Since Leaf is still so young, it's possible he could return to the NBA at some point soon.