Ex-UCLA teammate T.J. Leaf close with Lonzo Ball but not buying his shoes

Former UCLA forward T.J. Leaf said he’s extremely close with point guard Lonzo Ball, but that doesn’t mean he’s tempted to buy his shoes.

"The pricing is what it is," Leaf said Thursday from the NBA draft combine in Chicago. "They’re going to do what they think is right at the end of the day. I’m not too close with LaVar. Obviously if I see him, I’ll say hello, talk to him a little bit. Me and Lonzo are very close. Don’t have any Big Baller gear, but we’re still very close."

Asked about the $495 dollar price tag, Leaf laughed.

"I don’t have a comment on that," he said.

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Leaf, who averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds in his lone season for the Bruins, is a potential lottery pick along with his point guard, a potential top-three pick. Leaf said he benefited from Ball’s basketball IQ, and despite LaVar Ball’s public perception, Leaf defended the Ball family.

"There's a lot of people saying a lot of different things about him and his family," Leaf said. "No one really knows. I don't know if I even really know. They have their own stuff going on in their family. And I think it's unfair for people to say things sometimes."

But as for the Big Baller shoes? Leaf said he’s hoping to get a complimentary pair.

"Ah, you know I didn't get a pair yet," Leaf joked. "Hopefully Lonzo will send me one so I can try them out. We'll see."

Follow Michael Singer on Twitter @msinger.