By Shara Talia Taylor
The New York Knicks continue to rebuild with Obadiah “Obi” Toppin Jr., the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA
New York had another chance to make moves for a competitive season and leadership selected a hometown player and a national leader for their eighth pick on Nov. 18.
“As one of the highest ranked players on our draft board, Obi was someone we really coveted,” said Knicks President Leon Rose via the Knicks Twitter account. “We look forward to a bright future with him and are excited to bring a native New Yorker home to The Garden.”
The 6’9, 220lb, 22-year-old forward from Brooklyn, averaged 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, shooting .633 (245-387) from the field as a redshirt Sophomore at the University of Dayton during the 2019-2020 season. He was awarded the Naismith trophy as one of college basketball’s most outstanding players by Atlanta Tip-Off Club and named Player of the Year by the Associated Press.
“Obi Toppin is a player, that I believe, has the good intangibles and good abilities where he can be a part of that rebuilding process,” said longtime NBA reporter Chris Broussard, who weighed in on the team’s selection for the New York Beacon.
Broussard felt the Knicks need to rebuild in multiple areas and they selected the best player available. “There was nobody in this draft that was going to solve all their problems and make them an immediate playoff team, certainly not at the eighth pick,” he said. “Obviously you would have liked to have drafted higher, but to be honest even if they had been able to get one of the top three players, James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball, or Anthony Edwards, they would still be a long way away from being a very good team.”
The Knicks did not make the playoffs and had a 21-45 record for the 2019-2020 NBA season, which ended unconventionally as a result of COVID-19.
Broussard considers Toppin “older” for a draft pick. “That is one reason, despite all his accolades and his great play last year, that’s one reason that he was available at eight,” Broussard said.
Last year the Knicks selected Duke freshman RJ Barrett with their third overall pick. Former number #1 overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, (Charlotte Hornets) Larry Johnson told the New York Beacon last year, that he felt Barrett was a good pick, but worried Barrett was a young player and he could gain from another at Duke University. Barrett average 14.34 points per game during the 2019-2020 season.
Toppin is the Dayton record holder for career field goal percentage. The NCAA lists Toppin at number six in the nation for field goal percentage at 63.3 percent.
The Knicks announced Nov. 20 via Twitter that in a three-team trade, they acquired draft rights to Immanuel Quickley, the 25th overall selection in the first round of the draft from the Oklahoma City Thunder and draft rights to Mathias Lessort (50th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft) and a future second round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves. They gave away draft rights to Leandro Bolmaro, the 23rd pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, to Minnesota in exchange.
New York announced Nov. 23 Toppin signed his contract. He and teammates start the season led by new head coach Tom Thibodeau along with coaches Johnnie Bryant, Mike Woodson, and Andy Greer.
