Yeah that is right about the leaves. A few days prior to digging, water well and then dig it up. Experience will dictate the rootball size but guessing from a five foot tree, you should have a rootball diameter of 18" or a little more.
It would be best also to have your friend have their hole prepared (36" wide and no deeper than the depth of the rootball when planting. I'd have 6" of ground up earth below the rootball when you set it in. Just be sure that the collar of the trunk is planted at the same depth as when you removed it. Tie a string around that spot if you need to or you can recognize the color transition change in the bark.

If you have clay soil, still dig that 36" wide hole but drive a spade into the sides of the hole so the roots have somewhere to go to, eventually. Do that at about 5 or 8 spots in the hole.

Tell your friend to keep it watered up till the ground permanetely freezes and for next year to keep it watered as needed between any rains by deep soaking it once per week or more if the heat dries the soil out. And be sure mulch is applied this fall. No mulch should come in contact with the trunk. Ideally, a mounded surface at transplanting time is desireable because the ground will settle. Here's an example of a large pine I planted so you can get an idea of how the after product is.

Dax

The mound is 9" above the ground. I think you should stake it too for one year only:
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