Obi Toppin to the Knicks @ #8

[ezmoney707]

He may end up a bust, but him being old isn't a Wesley Johnson situation. He's old because he was legitimately like Steve Rogers in Captain America. The Dude wasn't able to dunk until he was a senior in high school, he was 6'2" as a junior. He took a PG year and grew more. He started just 15 games his first year at Dayton, and then won the Naismith Award this year when he started every game this season.

But the man was a scrawny guard when he was 17. Physically, he has had an extraordinarily unique path as compared to your typical NBA draftee, and him being 22 is a direct result of that. Hopefully, because he hasn't arrived at this point for the same reasons, he doesn't follow the same path as the other older draftees!

I’m not comparing him or his career to Pippen, but their situation as far as late growth spurts and late bloomers.

22 isn’t old.

[blanko]

RJ-Obi-Mitch resembles a lot Melo-STAT-Tyson.

And the Knicks were significantly better without STAT (who could also shoot much like Obi) and with Melo/Tyson surrounded with shooters. The Knicks were too slow, too big with Melo-Stat-Tyson. The lane was clogged because Tyson was there for defense so Amar'e couldn't get to the rim to do what he does best.

Same will happen with this new trio. Same conundrum. Just saying.

I love Obi the person and I really like his offensive skill set. But I hate the pick.

Obi is a much more talented shooter and passer than stat. Someone that imho has the potential to be like joker in the high post.

"Passing: Really nice passer for a big – shows real ability here passing all over the court. Can kick it up in transition, pass off of his handle, pass out of the post (loves kicking it to the opposite corner, which he can hit with one-handed / live-action passes with either hand), and has some beautiful short roll passes. Quick decision-maker out of the post and does a nice job reading the double team and getting the ball to the open man, whether that’s a cutter or out to the perimeter. Soft touch on his passes, throwing a very catchable ball. Also a nice high-low passer, making quick reads / quick lobs over the top after cutting to the top of the key. Nice swing passer, can drive and kick, and drive and drop-off. Really well balanced and versatile passer for a big – way more than a stationary passer."

https://www.thestepien.com/2020/02/19/obi-toppin-scouting-report/


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[DaGawd]

I remember this entire board wanted to avoid Trae Young like the plague... and thought he would be exposed in the league... I got high hopes for Obi just off the fact most of y’all swear the same thing about Toppin

[lcd88]

The most important thing about this pick is Toppin wants to be drafted by the Knicks. Hopefully that is the extra motivation to keep getting better.

[BugginOut]

RJ-Obi-Mitch resembles a lot Melo-STAT-Tyson.

And the Knicks were significantly better without STAT (who could also shoot much like Obi) and with Melo/Tyson surrounded with shooters. The Knicks were too slow, too big with Melo-Stat-Tyson. The lane was clogged because Tyson was there for defense so Amar'e couldn't get to the rim to do what he does best.

Same will happen with this new trio. Same conundrum. Just saying.

I love Obi the person and I really like his offensive skill set. But I hate the pick.

STAT was never healthy with Melo and Tyson. They probably played like 30 total games together. If we had the STAT playing like he did his first season in NY we would have been a problem.

Also STAT most definitely can not shoot like Obi. Stat didn't even average 1 3PA per game while he played with us. Obi has 3pt range and at least has shown to consistently hit the corner 3. If RJ and Obi can just stay above 35% from 3 I think the spacing will be fine. If we get FVV that will just be icing on the cake.

But it would be nice if Mitch could start hitting some corner threes or at least a mid range jumper.

[Knicks Byke]

can't wait for Clyde to call him OD Toppings.

[Garbagelo]

The most important thing about this pick is Toppin wants to be drafted by the Knicks. Hopefully that is the extra motivation to keep getting better.

Kevin Knox wanted to be drafted by us too

[KnicksGod]

Oh_We_B Toppin ... the East very soon.

[lcd88]

The most important thing about this pick is Toppin wants to be drafted by the Knicks. Hopefully that is the extra motivation to keep getting better.

Kevin Knox wanted to be drafted by us too

Sure but Knox wasn't a New Yorker and not a Knick fan. And Knicks was probably the only team looking into him anyways so of course he would say he wants to be drafted by the knicks.

[Guano]

He is a knick now - so I'd rather be wrong then right on him. Hope thibs can coach him up on the defensive end and i'm off base on being worried about his lateral quickness.

[Capn'O]

Obi said he had to play like that at Dayton, hes way more versatile.

That wouldn't surprise me at all. The dude was scoring in volume at nearly 70% TS and the team was 29-2. Basically, that team was all Toppin. Why would you do anything different if you can just use Toppin as a ballistic? It was like a high schooler beating up on elementary school kids.

[Blue Ninja]

RJ-Obi-Mitch resembles a lot Melo-STAT-Tyson.

And the Knicks were significantly better without STAT (who could also shoot much like Obi) and with Melo/Tyson surrounded with shooters. The Knicks were too slow, too big with Melo-Stat-Tyson. The lane was clogged because Tyson was there for defense so Amar'e couldn't get to the rim to do what he does best.

Same will happen with this new trio. Same conundrum. Just saying.

I love Obi the person and I really like his offensive skill set. But I hate the pick.

Problem with Melo-Stat-Chandler was that both Stat and Melo operated out of the mid-high post, and with Tyson in the middle, there wasn't enough spacing on the offense. Defensively Melo and Stat were also very poor. Melo and Stat were a bad mix.

Obi has more range to be a pick and pop guy, than Stat did and RJ doesn't high post as much as Melo. I think this trio can actually work really well.

Offensively, Obi will immediately come in and be the second best player we got, Mitch being the best. Just get a point that can set these guys up and a knockdown shooter (say Joe Harris and Russell Westbrook) and we may have something here.

[Capn'O]

RJ-Obi-Mitch resembles a lot Melo-STAT-Tyson.

And the Knicks were significantly better without STAT (who could also shoot much like Obi) and with Melo/Tyson surrounded with shooters. The Knicks were too slow, too big with Melo-Stat-Tyson. The lane was clogged because Tyson was there for defense so Amar'e couldn't get to the rim to do what he does best.

Same will happen with this new trio. Same conundrum. Just saying.

I love Obi the person and I really like his offensive skill set. But I hate the pick.

But Obi is suppose to be able to stretch out to the 3pt line somthing stat could never do consistently. So he could be on of those shooters around rj n Mitch on certain sets who will be deadly off a close out

Also, Mitch needs to let it fly.

[Dantares]

I remember this entire board wanted to avoid Trae Young like the plague... and thought he would be exposed in the league... I got high hopes for Obi just off the fact most of y’all swear the same thing about Toppin

I was a big Trae fan. but I'm concerned with Obi. I just looked at highlights for Obi's 3 biggest scoring games and It was all postups and lobs. He's not going to be able to use his size against bigger and stronger NBA bigs in the post. The three point shot looks good. But it seems like he doesn't face up and score and there were no pick and pop plays. I didnt see any catch and shooting off screens either.

I'm just wondering what his niche is going to be. we are probably going to run the pick and roll with Mitch and use Obi to stretch the floor on offense. Can Obi transform from a rim running/ postup player into a high volume stretch 4? I dunno because he didnt take that many 3's in college.

[Capn'O]

I remember this entire board wanted to avoid Trae Young like the plague... and thought he would be exposed in the league... I got high hopes for Obi just off the fact most of y’all swear the same thing about Toppin

I was a big Trae fan. but I'm concerned with Obi. I just looked at highlights for Obi's 3 biggest scoring games and It was all postups and lobs. He's not going to be able to use his size against bigger and stronger NBA bigs in the post. The three point shot looks good. But it seems like he doesn't face up and score and there were no pick and pop plays. I didnt see any catch and shooting off screens either.

I'm just wondering what his niche is going to be. we are probably going to run the pick and roll with Mitch and use Obi to stretch the floor on offense. Can Obi transform from a rim running/ postup player into a high volume stretch 4? I dunno because he didnt take that many 3's in college.

He was more versatile vs. good teams.

Watch on YouTube

[KnicksGod]

He looks like a Brooklyn guy. He’s probably a Nets fan though.

[lcd88]

I remember this entire board wanted to avoid Trae Young like the plague... and thought he would be exposed in the league... I got high hopes for Obi just off the fact most of y’all swear the same thing about Toppin

I was a big Trae fan. but I'm concerned with Obi. I just looked at highlights for Obi's 3 biggest scoring games and It was all postups and lobs. He's not going to be able to use his size against bigger and stronger NBA bigs in the post. The three point shot looks good. But it seems like he doesn't face up and score and there were no pick and pop plays. I didnt see any catch and shooting off screens either.

I'm just wondering what his niche is going to be. we are probably going to run the pick and roll with Mitch and use Obi to stretch the floor on offense. Can Obi transform from a rim running/ postup player into a high volume stretch 4? I dunno because he didnt take that many 3's in college.

If Obi could do all of that as you said he would've went #1. We just going to have to hope he develops those skills.

[BugginOut]

I don't know how people can be mad at this pick

If Kenny Payne is the big man guru let him work with Toppin and prove it.

We now have the two of the most athletic big men in the league in Mitch and Toppin. If we get FVV it's going to be lob city part 2 in NYC.

[Da_Mane_Man]

he's EXACTLY like Amare. even his jumpshot looks the same. sigh.

[SelbyCobra]

Obi said he had to play like that at Dayton, hes way more versatile.

That wouldn't surprise me at all. The dude was scoring in volume at nearly 70% TS and the team was 29-2. Basically, that team was all Toppin. Why would you do anything different if you can just use Toppin as a ballistic? It was like a high schooler beating up on elementary school kids.

This point gets a bit lost in the, "he was beating up on nobodies" critique. Dayton was ranked #3 in the nation heading into March Madness, and was projected to be a #1 seed. It's one thing to be an elite NBA prospect on a lower tier team/league - that can create difficulties in trying to scout for draft evaluation. And while he was in the A10 where the competition isn't the greatest, Toppin was the dominant force on a #1 seed in the tournament.

It makes you wonder how the cancellation of the tourney affected where someone like Obi ended up getting drafted.