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Since being selected eighth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2020 NBA Draft, Obi Toppin has struggled to find consistency with both his production and minutes distribution.
Having said that, it’s undeniable that, when on the hardwood, the big man is a highlight play waiting to happen, and a large reason for this is due to his incredible jump-out-of-the-gym athleticism.
The Brooklyn-native came into the association fresh off of a 2019-20 campaign at Dayton where he led NCAA Division 1 in dunks with 107, giving him the second-highest single-season mark of the decade.
Since going pro, Toppin’s vertical play has continued to be a staple in his game, which has resulted in two consecutive NBA Slam Dunk Contest invites, where he comes into the 2022-23 season as the reigning champion.
And while to some, this accolade may have earned the young Knicks stud the right to be called the best dunker in the league, it seems as though the people at 2K Sports are not of this belief, as they seemingly don’t even view him as a top-five talent in this specific category according to their recently released ratings for NBA 2K23.
Last season, 2K had the same assortment of players within this range, albeit in a different order, while Toppin saw himself slotted in at 15 overall, directly behind Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James at 14 and in front of Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown at 16.
Toppin’s More Than a Dunker
Though perhaps best known for his thunderous jams, throughout his, now, three-year tenure with the New York Knicks, Toppin has shown flashes of being a complete all-around player, especially when given consistent time on the floor.
As far as his per-game production goes, at least on the surface, the 24-year-old has been somewhat underwhelming, posting uninspiring averages of 6.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in just 14.3 minutes a night for his career thus far.
However, when given an increased opportunity, the big man has truly impressed, particularly when found within New York’s starting lineup where he holds stellar averages of 20.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and just shy of a block on 57% shooting from the floor and 43.6% shooting from deep in such a role.
In these contests (all of which came in 2021-22), the Knicks went on to capture two of their most lopsided victories of the season, downing the Washington Wizards 114-92 on April 8 while also routing the Orlando Magic 118-88 on April 3.
To finish off his sophomore campaign, Toppin went on to put up 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and just shy of a block on 57.4% shooting from the floor and 42.3% shooting from distance through his final 15 games played.
Knicks Could Give Grimes More Minutes
Though many will argue that Obi Toppin is someone that deserves to see a bump in minutes during the 2022-23 season, it appears as though people have been more vocal about their desire to see Quentin Grimes receive an increased role.
Just recently, in fact, MSG Analyst Alan Hahn went as far as to state on Twitter that he believes the New York Knicks need to insert the second-year guard into the starting lineup over veteran wing, Evan Fournier, especially when considering the fact that the team’s front office refused to include him in any offers during their failed trade negotiations for Donovan Mitchell.
“Grimes has the size and defensive potential that would be more effective next to Brunson in the backcourt than Evan Fournier,” Hahn wrote. “Yes, Fournier has the contract and the veteran status, but fit-wise, I’d be curious to see Grimes in that role and see if he can handle it. Fournier could be effective as a bench scorer with three-point shooting that is needed with that group and also versatile enough to play either wing spot with the starters when called upon.”
Selected 25 overall by the New York Knicks, Grimes saw on-court action in 46 contests in 2021-22 where he posted averages of 17.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per 100 possessions on 38.1% shooting from distance.
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