Maccabi’s T.J. suffers dislocated shoulder

The big man will miss a minimum of 4 weeks before he is reevaluated

Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv scored a memorable victory on Tuesday night at the buzzer against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, but it also paid a price. Forward T.J. Leaf will be sidelined for several weeks after dislocating his left shoulder during the game, the club announced on Wednesday. Leaf is expected to remain sidelined throughout the coming weeks while undergoing rehabilitation.

A re-evaluation will take place in four weeks. At that point, doctors will assess the degree of healing and determine the next step in Leaf’s recovery process and whether surgical intervention will be necessary.

Leaf’s absence represents a significant setback for the team, as he has been a steady contributor and an important presence in the frontcourt. He contributed 6 points, 3 rebound, 2 assists and 2 steals against Partizan before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with the injury. For the season – his first in the EuroLeague, the big man has been worth 9.1 points on strong shooting numbers and 4.7 rebounds in 18 minutes per game. He is a second-generation Maccabi player. T.J.'s father, Brad, played the last three of his 15 professional seasons in Israel with Maccabi in the late 1990s.