New York Knicks rookie forward Obi Toppin will participate in the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest at the All-Star Game next month in Atlanta, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
It seems the rookie has already been putting in work for the competition.
OBI IN THE DUNK CONTEST 🚨 @obitoppin1 pic.twitter.com/3PiKYLqJDS
— The Knicks Wall (@TheKnicksWall) February 26, 2021
Toppin made a good first impression with Knicks fans in his preseason debut, as he showed off his elite athleticism and bounce as he dunked with authority against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The moment New York took Toppin with the eighth overall pick the Amar’e Stoudemire comparisons picked up steam. Like Toppin, Stoudemire was an explosive athlete who played power forward for the Knicks. If Toppin has anywhere near the production of Stoudemire, then that was a draft pick well-spent.
Coming out of Dayton, which isn't exactly an NBA player factory, Toppin was one of the more polished prospects. He had great size for a modern four and could comfortably score from anywhere on the court. The downsides were his lack of defense and his age. Toppin has the tools to be a decent defender, but his lateral movement is quite slow. He is already 22 years old, which means his ceiling could be limited. The upside of being an older rookie is that one's career might last longer since the body has less wear and tear from the grueling NBA season.
Toppin has not seen much time on the court this season, although the way Julius Randle has been playing, you can't really blame head coach Tom Thibodeau.
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