Obi Toppin: From Dayton Flyer to NBA Highlight Reel

Obadiah Richard "Obi" Toppin Jr. is an American professional basketball player currently with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A native of New York City, Toppin's journey to the NBA is marked by perseverance and a meteoric rise during his college career.

Early Life and High School Career

Obi Toppin was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on March 4, 1998. He spent his early years in the Bushwick neighborhood before moving to Melbourne, Florida. He began his high school career at Heritage High School in Palm Bay, Florida, before transferring to Melbourne Central Catholic High School the following year. As a senior at Ossining High School, Toppin averaged 20.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, leading the team to its first conference title in 10 years.

Postgraduate Year

Despite his impressive senior year, Toppin received no NCAA Division I offers. He opted to enroll at Mt. Zion Preparatory School in Baltimore, Maryland, for a postgraduate year to further develop his skills and attract college attention.

College Career at Dayton

Freshman Season (2018-2019)

After a postgraduate year, Toppin committed to the University of Dayton. He was academically ineligible for the 2017-18 season and redshirted. In his freshman season (2018-2019), Toppin made an immediate impact for the Dayton Flyers, leading the team in scoring and earning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year honors.

Sophomore Season (2019-2020)

Entering his red-shirt sophomore season, Toppin garnered significant preseason recognition. He was named to the preseason first team All-Atlantic 10 and to the watch lists for the Karl Malone Award, Lute Olson Award, and Naismith Award. CBS Sports ranked him as the 44th-best collegiate basketball player, while ESPN considered him the 24th-best prospect for the 2020 NBA draft.

Toppin's outstanding performance continued throughout the season. He was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for the first week after scoring a career-high 29 points with 12 rebounds in the Flyers' season-opening 86-81 win over Indiana State. In late November 2019, he led Dayton to second place at the Maui Invitational Tournament, averaging 22.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks over three games.

Despite spraining his left ankle during a win against UMass on January 11, 2020, Toppin did not miss a game. He scored 24 points in Dayton's next game against VCU, showcasing his resilience. On February 22, 2020, Toppin scored his 1,000th career point during an 80-70 win over Duquesne, finishing with 28 points.

At the end of the regular season, Toppin was named to the first team All-Atlantic 10 and the Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He averaged 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game with a .633 field goal percentage.

Toppin's exceptional sophomore season culminated in numerous national accolades. He was a consensus first-team All-American selection, won the Karl Malone Award as the nation's top power forward, and was the consensus National Player of the Year. He received the Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year, NABC Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year, Oscar Robertson Trophy, and John R. Wooden Award.

Dayton concluded the season with a 29-2 record and was ranked No. 3 in the final AP Top 25 poll, matching the program's best poll finish, first set in 1956. The Flyers were unbeaten in league play and in road games and were positioned to claim a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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NBA Career

New York Knicks (2020-2023)

Toppin declared for the 2020 NBA draft after his stellar sophomore season. He was selected with the eighth overall pick by the New York Knicks.

During the final 5 games of the 2022-23 Knicks season, Toppin became a starter.

Indiana Pacers (2023-Present)

On July 7, 2023, Toppin was traded to the Indiana Pacers for two future second-round picks. On the Pacers, Toppin joined Jalen Smith, Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith and Jordan Nwora, all selected in the 2020 NBA draft. On January 26, 2024, Toppin put up a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds alongside a game-winning layup in a 133-131 win over the Phoenix Suns. Toppin finished the 2023-24 season averaging career-highs as the main backup to Pascal Siakam.

Player Profile

Obi Toppin is known for his athleticism, high-flying dunks, and offensive versatility. He is a skilled scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker.

College Statistics

During the 2019-2020 season, Toppin averaged 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds a game, and shooting .633 (245-387) from the field, .390 (32-82) from 3-pt. range and .702 (99-141) from the line. He led the nation in dunks in 2019-20, with a school-record 107. His 190 career dunks are also a Dayton record. Toppin is the Dayton record holder for career field goal percentage by a scant .0004.

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Personal Life

Toppin's mother, Roni, is of Italian descent. His father, also named Obadiah, is of Barbadian descent and was a well-known streetball player in Brooklyn. He played basketball collegiately at Globe Institute of Technology and professionally for the Brooklyn Kings of the United States Basketball League, the Harlem Strong Dogs of the American Basketball Association, and in the Dominican Republic. His father was also known as "Dunker's Delight" while playing for a streetball team called the Court Kingz. His brother, Jacob Toppin, also plays basketball.

Awards and Honors

Consensus National Player of the Year (2020)
Karl Malone Award (2020)
Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year (2020)
NABC Player of the Year (2020)
Naismith College Player of the Year (2020)
Oscar Robertson Trophy (2020)
John R. Wooden Award (2020)
First Team All-American (2020)
Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year (2020)
Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year (2019)
NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner (2022)

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