_(cropped).jpg) Toppin during the 2022NBA Slam Dunk Contest | |
| No. 1 – Indiana Pacers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1998-03-04)March 4, 1998 (age 27) Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | Dayton (2018–2020) |
| NBA draft | 2020: 1st round, 8th overall pick |
| Drafted by | New York Knicks |
| Playing career | 2020–present |
| Career history | |
| 2020–2023 | New York Knicks |
| 2023–present | Indiana Pacers |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Obadiah Richard "Obi" Toppin Jr. (/ˈoʊbiˈtɒpɪn/OH-beeTOP-in;[1] born March 4, 1998) is an American professionalbasketball player for theIndiana Pacers of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). Apower forward, he playedcollege basketball for theDayton Flyers.
A native ofNew York City, Toppin was born in the borough ofBrooklyn, and graduated fromOssining High School in New York. After receiving noNCAA Division I offers, he played apostgraduate season at Mt. Zion Preparatory School inMaryland. As a freshman with theDayton Flyers, Toppin was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year after leading his team in scoring. He had breakout success in his sophomore season, earningAtlantic 10 Player of the Year andNational College Player of the Year honors.
After his sophomore college season, Toppin declared for the2020 NBA draft where he was selected with the eighth overall pick by theNew York Knicks. Toppin was the winner of the2022 NBA Slam Dunk Contest after being runner-up in the year prior. He was traded to the Pacers in 2023.
Toppin was born inBrooklyn in New York City and originally grew up in the neighborhood ofBushwick before moving toMelbourne, Florida. He attendedHeritage High School inPalm Bay as a freshman before transferring toMelbourne Central Catholic High School the next year. Toppin, his mother and younger brother relocated toOssining, New York, and he enrolled atOssining High School going into his junior year.[2]
He averaged 20.6points, 8.1rebounds, 3assists and 3steals as a senior during his only year playingvarsity at Ossining and led the team to its first conference title in 10 years. Having received noNCAA Division I offers, Toppin opted to enroll at Mt. Zion Preparatory School inBaltimore, Maryland, for apostgraduate year. He averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists and also grew four inches to 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m).[3] He committed to play college basketball at theUniversity of Dayton over offers fromRhode Island,Georgetown,Georgia,Texas A&M,Minnesota andTexas Tech.[4][5]
Toppinredshirted his true freshman season after being ruled academically ineligible to play.[6] As a red-shirt freshman, Toppin led the Flyers with 14.4 points per game while averaging 5.6 rebounds per game and was named theAtlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week seven times.[7] At the end of the season, Toppin was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and to the first team All-Atlantic 10, the first freshman to do so sinceLamar Odom in 1999.[8][9] Following the end of the season he declared for the2019 NBA draft, but did not hire anagent.[10] After working out for several NBA teams, Toppin opted to withdraw from the draft and return to Dayton.[11][12]
Entering his red-shirt sophomore season, Toppin was named to the preseason first team All-Atlantic 10 and to theKarl Malone,Lute Olson andNaismith Award watch lists.[13][14][15] Toppin was also named the 44th-best collegiate basketball player going into the2019–20 season byCBS Sports and the 24th-best prospect for the2020 NBA draft byESPN.[16][17] He was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for the first week of the season after scoring a career-high 29 points with 12 rebounds in the Flyers' season opening 86–81 win overIndiana State.[18] In late November 2019, Toppin led Dayton to second place at the2019 Maui Invitational Tournament, averaging 22.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3blocks over three games. He subsequently repeated as Atlantic 10 Player of the Week and was recognized as National Player of the Week byNBC Sports.[19][20] On December 30, Toppin scored a career-high 31 points in a 77–59 win overNorth Florida, including a school-record 10dunks.[21] He was named to the midseason watchlist for theWooden Award and was named the Midseason Player of the Year byThe Athletic.[22][23]
Toppin sprained his left ankle during a win againstUMass on January 11, 2020, but did not miss a game, scoring 24 points in Dayton's next game againstVCU in spite of his injury.[24][25] Toppin scored his 1,000th career point on February 22, 2020, during a 28-point performance in an 80–70 win overDuquesne.[26] At the end of the regular season Toppin was named to the first team All-Atlantic 10 and theAtlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 20 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game with a .633field goal percentage.[27] Toppin was a consensus first team All-American selection, won theKarl Malone Award as the nation's top power forward,[28] and was the consensus National Player of the Year after being named theAssociated Press College Basketball Player of the Year,[29]NABC Player of the Year,[30]Naismith College Player of the Year,[31] and awarded theOscar Robertson Trophy and theJohn R. Wooden Award.[32][33] He also garnered national player of the year honors fromCBS Sports,The Athletic,NBC Sports andUSA Today.[34] After the season, Toppin announced that he would be forgoing his final two seasons of eligibility to enter the2020 NBA draft.[35] Toppin finished his college career with 1,096 points scored and a school-record 190 dunks.[36]
On November 18, 2020, Toppin was selected with the eighth overall pick in the2020 NBA draft by theNew York Knicks.[37] On November 23, Toppin signed his rookie scale contract with the Knicks.[38][39]
On December 23, Toppin made his NBA debut, putting up nine points, three rebounds, and two blocks in 24 minutes, in a 107–121 loss to theIndiana Pacers.[40][41] Toppin missed 10 games due to injury sustained in his NBA debut,[42][43] and returned on January 13, 2021, in a 109–116 loss to theBrooklyn Nets.[44] As a rookie, he was invited to participate in the2021 NBA Slam Dunk Contest and finished in 2nd place behindAnfernee Simons.[45] During the2021 NBA Playoffs, Toppin recorded 13 points on an efficient 5-of-8 shooting from the field in a Game 4 loss to theAtlanta Hawks.[46]
The following season, in his sophomore year, Toppin was the winner of the2022 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, beatingJuan Toscano-Anderson in the final round.[47] On April 8, 2022, Toppin recorded a then-career-high 35 points and 2 steals, on 14-of-22 shooting from the field, and 6-of-9 from three, in a 114–92 win over theWashington Wizards.[48] On April 10, two days later, he recorded a career-high 42 points, along with 10 rebounds and a block, shooting 16-of-28 from the field, 6-of-14 from three and 4-of-4 from the free throw line, in a 105–94 win over theToronto Raptors.[49]
During the final 5 games of the2022–23 Knicks season, Toppin became a starter. On April 5, 2023, he tallied an impressive 32 points and 6 assists on 11-of-18 shooting from the field, 5-of-12 from three, and 5-of-5 from the free throw line in a win over theIndiana Pacers.[50] Four days later Toppin recorded 34 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, on 13-of-23 shooting from the field, 5-of-10 on three, and 3-of-3 on free throws in a loss to his future team, theIndiana Pacers.[51] During the2023 NBA Playoffs, Toppin became a starter in the second round, replacing injuredJulius Randle, and recorded a then playoff career-high 18 points and 8 rebounds on 7-of-15 shooting along with 4 threes made, in a Game 1 loss to the eventualEastern Conference ChampionsMiami Heat.[52]
On July 7, 2023, Toppin was traded to theIndiana Pacers for two future second-round picks.[53] The deal came one day after brotherJacob Toppin signed with the Knicks. On the Pacers, Toppin joinedJalen Smith,Tyrese Haliburton,Aaron Nesmith andJordan Nwora, all selected in the2020 NBA draft. On October 25, as a starter, Toppin tallied 11 points, four rebounds, an assist, and a steal in his debut, defeating theWashington Wizards.[54] On November 6, Toppin recorded 19 points and two steals, on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and 6-of-6 on free throws, in a 41-point blowout win over rookieVictor Wembanyama and theSan Antonio Spurs.[55] On November 14, he recorded a season-high 27 points, six rebounds, and a block, on 12-of-15 shooting, in a2023 in-season tournament win over thePhiladelphia 76ers.[56]
On January 26, 2024, Toppin put up a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds alongside a game-winning layup in a 133–131 win over thePhoenix Suns.[57] Toppin finished the2023–24 season averaging career–highs as the main backup toPascal Siakam. On May 2, he scored a playoff career-high 21 points in a 120–98 series-clinching victory against theMilwaukee Bucks in the first round.[58]
On July 6, 2024, Toppin re-signed with the Pacers on a four-year, $60 million contract.[59] On March 17, 2025, in a 132–130 overtime win against theMinnesota Timberwolves, Toppin scored a season-high 34 points, including 12 in overtime and the game-winning three-pointer, to snap Minnesota's eight-game winning streak.[60]
On October 31, 2025, Toppin was ruled out for at least three months after undergoing surgery to place a screw in thefifth metatarsal bone in his right foot.[61]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | New York | 62 | 0 | 11.0 | .498 | .306 | .731 | 2.2 | .5 | .3 | .2 | 4.1 |
| 2021–22 | New York | 72 | 10 | 17.1 | .531 | .308 | .758 | 3.7 | 1.1 | .3 | .5 | 9.0 |
| 2022–23 | New York | 67 | 5 | 15.7 | .446 | .344 | .809 | 2.8 | 1.0 | .3 | .2 | 7.4 |
| 2023–24 | Indiana | 82 | 28 | 21.1 | .573 | .403 | .770 | 3.9 | 1.6 | .6 | .5 | 10.3 |
| 2024–25 | Indiana | 79 | 4 | 19.6 | .529 | .365 | .781 | 4.0 | 1.6 | .6 | .4 | 10.5 |
| Career | 362 | 47 | 17.2 | .523 | .355 | .771 | 3.4 | 1.2 | .4 | .4 | 8.5 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | New York | 5 | 0 | 13.1 | .522 | .333 | .833 | 2.6 | .4 | .0 | .2 | 6.4 |
| 2023 | New York | 11 | 1 | 15.9 | .429 | .302 | .800 | 3.5 | .6 | .7 | .3 | 7.0 |
| 2024 | Indiana | 17 | 0 | 20.2 | .541 | .357 | .760 | 4.4 | 1.7 | .4 | .4 | 10.9 |
| 2025 | Indiana | 23* | 0 | 19.1 | .485 | .321 | .694 | 3.8 | 1.3 | .7 | .3 | 9.4 |
| Career | 56 | 1 | 18.3 | .496 | .328 | .736 | 3.8 | 1.2 | .5 | .3 | 9.1 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Dayton | 33 | 15 | 26.5 | .667 | .524 | .713 | 5.6 | 1.8 | .6 | .8 | 14.4 |
| 2019–20 | Dayton | 31 | 31 | 31.6 | .633 | .390 | .702 | 7.5 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 20.0 |
| Career | 64 | 46 | 29.0 | .647 | .417 | .706 | 6.6 | 2.0 | .8 | 1.0 | 17.1 | |
Toppin's mother, Roni, is ofItalian descent. Toppin's father, also named Obadiah, is ofBarbadian descent and was a well-knownstreetball player in Brooklyn. He played basketball collegiately atGlobe Institute of Technology and professionally for theBrooklyn Kings of theUnited States Basketball League, the Harlem Strong Dogs of theAmerican Basketball Association and in the Dominican Republic.[2][62] His father was also known as "Dunker's Delight" while playing for a streetball team called the Court Kingz. His brother,Jacob, who played college basketball forKentucky after transferring fromRhode Island, was signed by the Knicks in June 2023.[63][64]
Toppin is aChristian and has a tattoo of a cross on his right shoulder as a sign of his faith.[65][66]
