As New York Knicks fans know, it isn’t unusual for the media to look down upon players that suit up in orange and blue. It’s been happening with RJ Barrett ever since he was drafted No. 3 in 2019, and it’s happening with Jalen Brunson because he signed with New York in free agency. It’s all part of what comes with playing for the Knicks.
However, hours before New York’s season opener against Memphis, ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote (subscription required) about one Knicks player in a positive light. In a piece titled, ‘The 5 most intriguing players this NBA season,’ Lowe listed none other than Obi Toppin.
Toppin has been a fan favorite since New York selected him with the No. 8 pick in 2020. His energy, his flashy dunks, and his speed make him who he is, but there’s one big problem with Obi, and it’s that he hasn’t been given the appropriate amount of time on the court. Toppin was put at a disadvantage by playing behind Julius Randle, who had a fantastic 2020-21 season when Obi was a rookie, but now, with the 2022-23 season underway, Tom Thibodeau can no longer ignore Toppin.
And it isn’t just Knicks fans that see Toppin’s potential, either.
Final preseason preview mega-column: My annual 5 Most Intriguing Players for the season: A Pacer, T-Wolf, Knick, Hawk, and Bull -- Xs-and-Os, interviews, more:https://t.co/0MQB3Ituhw
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) October 19, 2022
ESPN’s Zach Lowe lists Knicks’ Obi Toppin as one of the NBA’s ‘most intriguing players’
Zach Lowe started by writing:
"Good things happen when Toppin plays, and the Knicks should be in the business of discovering why — and whether that effect carries over against opposing starters. That success has come despite New York playing Toppin almost exclusively alongside rim-running centers — marginalizing Toppin’s skill as an explosive screen-and-dive guy."
The first sentence is especially key. Last season, Julius Randle left a lot to be desired, but in the preseason, Randle looked like a far different player than who he was months ago. Toppin is owed an increased role, but that doesn’t mean that he should go ahead and replace Randle in the starting lineup right now. Depending on how the season plays out though, that could end up being the best course of action.
Toppin sprints the floor like no other, but Thibodeau has told the 24-year-old that if he’s in the paint, the first thing that he needs to do is try to secure the rebound.
"Toppin might leak out more than Thibodeau likes — leaving New York vulnerable on the defensive glass. “We can’t run if we don’t rebound,” Thibodeau says. The general rule, according to Thibodeau: If Toppin challenges a shot up high, run. If he’s in the paint, try to secure the rebound and then sprint."
According to Lowe, right now Toppin is “a good backup big,” but he can transform into a “true-blue starter.” There are two areas that he needs to improve in the most, and it’s his defense and his shot. If he can progress in those areas this year, the Knicks will be better off. And of course, it all starts with Obi seeing the floor more this season.
1 stud and 1 dud from Knicks’ frustrating overtime loss to Grizzlies
The New York Knicks fell to Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies in the first game of the 2022-23 regular season on Wednesday.