While the Knicks were hoping to get first overall pick in the November 2020 NBA Draft, they currently hold the eighth overall pick.
The team could always try to trade or maybe even acquire assets to get back. And even though the number 8 might be the least exciting move, the Knicks could still land a talented rookie at that spot.
Obi Toppin was arguably the most exciting, college basketball player last season, earning nearly every National Player of the Year awards, including the prestigious Naismith Trophy. Toppin took the Flyers to a record of 29-2 and Dayton would likely have been a number one seed in the NCAA tournament, as the Flyers finished third in the country when play stopped due to COVID-19
The All-American first-team selection averaged 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while also shooting 39.0% off the three-point line. Toppin is not only a top scorer, but also an efficient one, having had the best on-field goal percentage (63.3%) of any Division 1 player who has scored at least 20.0 points in the past five seasons.
Toppin has a prolific ability to attack the circle, as he led the nation with 107 dunks last season. His athleticism is skyrocketing and there’s no reason to believe he won’t move to the NBA level. From a pure talent perspective, the Knicks need help across the board, and it’s exciting to think about the possibilities of teaming up with Toppin with RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, which would give the Knicks a prolific trio of players, whose skills seem they complement each other well.
Toppin is the kind of player who could electrify the Madison Square Garden crowd and bring some excitement back to the Knicks, a team that has been stalling for some time. Adding a human highlight over the hem like Toppin, with the added bonus of being a local product, may just be the spark the Knicks need as they begin the Tom Thibodeau era.