Obi Toppin won both the AP National Player of the Year along with the Naismith player of the year as a sophomore in 2020. On the season, Toppin averaged 20 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1 SPG, 1.2 BPG, and 2.2 TOPG on shooting splits of 63/39/70. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Obi Toppin
Height/Weight: 6’9/ 220
Wingspan/ standing reach: N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: PF
College: Dayton
Tools: Athleticism, IQ, off-ball threat
Pros:
- Explosive athleticism with quick leaping ability
- Strong P&R roll man & P&R popper
- Good shooting form projects to translate
- Quick release on jumper
- Good vision in finding cutters
- Good rebounder
- Adequate passer out of the drive
- Excellent off-ball movement
Cons:
- Poor lateral quickness
- Stiff defensively
- Needs to tighten ball-handling ability
- Struggles in isolation
- Doesn’t possess a quick first step
Overall:
Obi Toppin is an elite off-ball player, which Dayton used to their advantage in the 2019-20 season. The Dayton Flyers used his elite vertical athleticism to their advantage, running him off of Pick & rolls and cuts at an extraordinarily high rate. Toppin was at his best offensively on dribble hand-offs and out of the post. He has the ability to do a quick post move to get an open look at the rim, or make advanced reads out of the post. This poses a question mark for his game translating, as the NBA has continued to de-emphasize post-up situations. Another concern on the offensive end is his on-ball creation. While he is clearly capable of creating for others, both out of the post and off of cuts, Toppin struggles to create for himself off-the-dribble, particularly in isolation settings. He lacks a strong first step, needs multiple attempts to beat his defender, and lacks creativity on drives.
Toppin is best used in P&R situations, where he can dive to the basket and finish at an elite rate, both below the rim and above the rim, and where he can also pop to the 3 point line and shoot at a respectable rate.
Defensively, to be blunt, Toppin brings virtually nothing to the table. He has heavy feet and struggles to guard perimeter oriented forwards. Most of his blocks and well-defended plays came against post players, which won’t be commonplace in the NBA like it was in college. He will need the right coach to be able to hide or neutralize his defense in the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Floor: Derrick Williams ; ceiling: Marvin Bagley
Projected draft range: 5-16
Best fits:
- Washington Wizards
- San Antonio Spurs
- Dallas Mavericks
Shot chart:
