Obi Toppin is returning home to begin his NBA journey, and he has been told he won’t waste this opportunity to help Knicks basketball get back on the map.
To do that, Toppin knows he needs to improve his game by specifically emphasizing his defense. He has already begun his duties during this pre-draft process by looking at some current and former NBA players after whom he can shape his game.
One is the newest NBA champion and perennial All-Star. The other, a former Knick who also has a title ring on his resume.
“A lot of Anthony Davis,” Toppin said when asked what movie he was watching. “That’s what I’m trying to mimic my next game.
“I feel offensive studying the things he does on and off the pitch, he’s a great player.”
Toppin added that Davis’ defensive prowess and his ability to rack up buckets are what he is trying to show the Knicks he can do night on and off.
The other NBA player Toppin raised is someone who has actually been compared at this time: former Knick Amar’e Stoudemire. A fierce presence down below, Stoudemire knew that playing above the edge would lead to easy buckets and fray a team. This is what Toppin showed in Dayton and there’s more where he came from.
“A lot of people say I play like Amar’e Stoudemire, so I’ve watched a lot of movies about him and I’ve seen how dominant he is and the hard work he put into every game and every practice,” said Toppin.