New York Knicks: Time to grade Obi Toppin and the 2020 rookie class

New York Knicks 8th overall pick: Obi Toppin

The Obi Toppin love was brewing before draft day. As reported by Jonathan Macri of Knicks Film School, he heard back in September that if Toppin was available at eight, then he would be the pick. So once the draft day came, fans should’ve been prepared for Toppin when Adrian Wojnarowski reported the franchise might trade up to snag him after New York traded their 27th and 38th picks to the Utah Jazz to move to the 23rd pick.

The Knicks were lucky that Toppin fell to the 8th spot in the draft because he was considered a top-five prospect. The reason Toppin ranked so high is that he’s considered NBA ready based on his maturity – physically & mentally – and his ability to put the ball in the hole at such an efficient rate. Furthermore, his college resume was one of, if not the best out of his peers. He earned the National College Player of the Year, Consensus First Team All American, Karl Malone Award, and Atlantic 10 Player of the Year (that’s quite the resume if you ask me).

Now, when people hear Obi Toppin’s name, the first thing they think of his unlimited highlight reels. And it’s easy to believe that because he is a high-flying dunker – no surprise considering his pops was AND 1 street legend Dunkers Delight. I mean, just look at this:

But Toppin can provide more than just dunks. Toppin’s game is desired for the modern NBA because he can play in transition, stretch the floor, attack off the dribble, and do some playmaking. The former Dayton Flyer averaged 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1 steal, 1.2 blocks, 63.3 field goal percentage, 39 three-point percentage within 31.6 minutes per game. So, it’s more than evident that his offensive game should not be an issue entering the league.

The skepticism with Toppin, especially on a Tom Thibodeau led team, is his defense. Toppin shows promise when it comes to help defense, which is why he averaged 1.2 blocks per game. Yet, as well all know, blocks are not a good indication of how well a player is on defense because Toppin struggled to guard the pick and roll, defending in the post, and keeping players in front of him on the perimeter. The good thing is that Toppin understands his weakness and has mentioned that he needs to get better on that end of the floor.

But there should be a reasonable expectation that Toppin won’t be an elite defender, and that’s fine. As long as he can play passable defense where he won’t be a liability on the floor, he should have a successful career. Luckily for him, he will have the help of Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel, who are some of the top rim protectors in the league.

Regardless of Toppin’s defensive deficiencies, the Knicks came out on top by selecting a top-five prospect with the eighth pick.

Draft Grade: A –