Photo via SEC
When he decided to move from Rhode Island to Kentucky in April last year, Jacob Toppin came in with the intention of rerunning the 2020-21 season, regardless of the NCAA’s possible one-time immediate transfer rule. At the time, the 194-pound, six-foot forward from Brooklyn, NY, wanted to sit all year round to develop his body and game ahead of a strong debut season in 2021-22.
However, when the NCAA announced an additional year to qualify for student athletes competing in winter sports because of COVID-19, both Kentucky and Toppin decided to apply for an exemption for immediate admission in what amounts to a college free season. -basketball. With four years left to qualify, the sophomore’s long-term development goals could stay in the school while the program gets right on the ground. It was a win-win for both parties.
Now 19 games in his fledgling Kentucky career, Toppin has developed into a strong off-bench contributor, averaging 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game. And his biggest achievement of the year came in the UK’s 82-78 win over Vanderbilt Wednesday night, with the 6-foot-9 forward finishing 16 points on 5-9 shooting and 5-5 going from the line with four rebounds, two assists and a block in 22 minutes.
“I was so happy. What I said to the team afterwards, a real team doesn’t know who is going to play that big game, and whoever it is,” from everyone will be ecstatic for it. They were ecstatic for him in that dressing room, ”said British head coach John Calipari after the win. “We will become a team. “Instead of doing what I want to do, what does this team want me to do?” Jacob went in, looked fine. We were able to put him on the point guard, which meant we could move him to the big man.
“… Jacob, I wouldn’t have suppressed him at all if he could have held out in the game. He played too well. He came in with the last rebound to win the game, right? “
In a year where all production is the icing on the cake for Toppin, he has now finished in double digits three times and added six or more rebounds six times.
As Calipari would put it, he has found a “nice bit of change” in a season of “found money”.
‘This is money found for Jacob. This is money he found in the bank, ”he said. “Nice bit of change he picked up.”
Despite his original redshirt plans, Toppin feels that the free year of experience on the field allows him to improve every day as a player and prepare him for more long-term success.
“This season has helped me a lot,” he said. “I learn from everything that happens, the experience I gain, I only get better every day.”
With only 30 seconds to go with just one run, Toppin hit two free throws to take a three-run lead. After the Commodores reacted with two free throws of their own, Toppin followed with two more makes on the line to extend the lead to three with 19 seconds remaining.
It was four consecutive brands that helped bolster the win, Kentucky’s second in a row.
“It’s just a mindset. If you have the mindset that you are going to take the picture, you are going to take the picture. You can’t doubt yourself, ”Toppin said of his free throws to end the game. “I had every confidence in the world that I would make those free throws if they mattered.”
Toppin’s long-term plans in Kentucky remain, but the Brooklyn native offers plenty of immediate help in a year the Wildcats have certainly needed it.