NBA Draft 2020: Dayton’s Obi Toppin taken 8th overall by New York Knicks

Dayton standout forward Obi Toppin is headed to the New York Knicks with the 8th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

After garnering every possible accolade in the 2019-20 season, Toppin looked primed to lead the Flyers as a 1 seed deep into the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, due to [gestures vaguely at pandemic that has been raging since March], that dream of Final Four (or more) glory was never realized.

Now, Toppin looks to take his versatile offensive game to the NBA and help the Knicks get back to winning ways. He projects as a 4 or a 5 at the next level, with above-average shooting and playmaking for his size, complimenting his obscene athleticism and rim-running potential.

He still has some improvements to make on the defensive end, especially with regards to his rebounding, but he’s primed to be a day one contributor on the Knicks and mature into, at minimum, a consistent NBA starter for the next decade. The Knicks are foregoing potential ceiling for a high floor and an immediate impact. Look for the Wooden Award winner to make everyone around him better offensively and provide some SportsCenter-worthy highlights sooner rather than later. He won’t have the same hype as Ja Morant last year, but he’ll be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year at the end of the upcoming season.