There have been a handful of exciting dunks for Knicks forward Obi Toppin in his rookie season. But there haven’t been many insults or minutes to the 2020 lottery pick.
The Brooklyn product said he is still figuring out Dayton’s jump to the NBA and hopes to reveal “ new things ” to spur his adjustment.
The highlight of the Dayton Dunk Machine rookie season could come in Atlanta when he is invited to compete in the Slam Dunk competition at the newly organized All-Star event.
A broad grin broke across Toppin’s face at the opportunity – a possible indication that he has internal information that he has a legitimate chance of being invited.
“The Dunk Contest, I think we’ll just have to wait and see,” said a smiling Toppin. “I don’t want to give you all the answers, but hopefully I can be there. Maybe not. So we’ll just have to wait and see. ”
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau rides rising star Julius Randle for nearly 40 minutes per game, limiting Toppin’s playing time to just 12 minutes.
Toppin’s team defense needs work, and he hasn’t been physical enough on the inside to make his own shot. Too often the power forward is putting picks and languishing on the perimeter, where he was not known as an elite 3-point shooter.
“I feel like I’m still trying to find my insult, my strengths on the offensive side,” said Toppin. “I have the feeling that everyone is helping me with that, my coaches and teammates. All those guys help me discover what I’m really good at. ”
“I’m still trying to find my offensive spot the first time I played in the NBA. I’m trying to find out what I’m really good at at this level. I’m going to try new things. ”
When asked what he noticed between Dayton and the NBA, Toppin said, “The difference between college and now – I feel physically, the speed of the game, those two things are probably the most important things I need to adjust to. I learn every day and feel like I’m getting better. ”
Missing the summer league was a big defeat for Toppin, who didn’t play in an elite program like Immanuel Quickley in Kentucky. NBA GMs still projected that, at the age of 22, Toppin would compete for Rookie of the Year and vote him the third most likely candidate.
Speaking of Toppin’s predicament, an NBA source associated with the Knicks said, “Some of the things he does in college don’t work. That’s all he knows now. He hasn’t been able to acclimate to the NBA because it’s different from college. He is learning. He knows it is a process. He knows he is a rookie and that he has a lot to learn. He’s ready, and he’s patient too. Give it time, it will come. ”
Toppin scores an average of 4.6 points in 13 games. 2.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists. He also missed 10 games with a calf bandage.
Thibodeau said he needs to improve his team defense and feels that the absence from the summer league really hurt the college player of the year.
“All rookies, that’s the challenge,” said Thibodeau. “You have a skill set of the players in the competition that is different from that at university. The job is different, the rules are different. He has to get to know the system he is in. He needs to get to know the players in the league and the system he is playing against. He does many good things every day. But the first time is a challenge for any rookie. The second time will be better, the third time after that better. He is making good, steady progress. ”
On Saturday, the six-foot-tall Toppin will take on a boy idol – fellow Brooklynite Carmelo Anthony – as the Knicks host the Trail Blazers. He eventually hopes to master Anthony’s inner movements.
“I must have watched him all my life,” said Toppin. He’s a great player. He’s got a really strong post game. He’s got a really good feeling. Given the different moves he has in the post, the fakes, I’m going to try and learn from it. [him]. ”