His Summer League experience a year ago was abbreviated and his opportunities in his rookie season were minimal, but that doesn't mean TJ Leaf hasn't grown since becoming the Pacers' first-round draft pick in 2017.
He's bigger, he's stronger, he's less naïve, he's more confident, and he's every bit as hungry to prove himself as 364 days ago when he made his Summer League debut for the Pacers. When you're a first-round draft pick and your rookie stat line includes averages of just 8.7 minutes and 2.9 points in 53 games, you need to be.
"Summer League's huge," Leaf said Sunday following the Pacers' first practice with the team they'll take to Las Vegas for games that begin on Friday.