Obi Toppin’s choice was the highlight of the Knicks preseason opening, scoring 11 points and seven rebounds in a 20-minute run from the bench. The second game was a different story, as he only had four out of 1 out of 9 points (including 1 out of 6 from over the arc) in 24 minutes. On Wednesday he went 4 for 6, scoring eight points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes.
This shows that the rookie will have his ups and downs (as all rookies do) during his first season as a pro. However, from a pure talent and energy standpoint, Toppin appears to be exactly the kind of player the Knicks were hoping for in the draft.
So what Knicks fans should be hoping for this year is that Toppin will prove more boom than bust as a rookie, even if that means he won’t be going for 11 and 7 off the bench every time. Toppin is arguably the vanguard of the Knicks of the future, and he has the size and shooting ability to be a prototype four shot in today’s NBA.
Brooklyn-born Toppin appears to be an easy player to cheer on for Knicks fans, so let’s hope he’s not another Knicks who is eliminated in the draft, and instead sets out to be the dynamic player who has the potential to become .