Kentucky player knows how to express gratitude: Dunk you very much
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Before meeting with reporters on a Zoom teleconference Friday, Kentucky sophomore Jacob Toppin spoke to his older brother. Obi Toppin, the consensus National Player of the Year last season for Dayton, tried to prepare his younger brother for the likely questions he’d be asked.
Apparently, besides being a celebrated basketball player, Obi (whose first name is Obadiah) is clairvoyant.
“All the questions you guys ask, he’s kind of asked that question,” Jacob Toppin said. “I don’t know how he knew.”
Jacob Toppin saw this as an example of brotherly love.
“Me and my brother, we have probably the strongest relationship ever,” he said. “Like, nobody is going to break our bond.”
See one brother, think of the other. That’s the life Jacob Toppin said he lives.
“My brother is brought up all the time,” he said with a smile. “I’m always hearing his name when I’m talking to somebody. The similarities in our game: we’re very energetic. … We’re all over the place. We’re hustle players. We can shoot. We can drive. And we can score, like, anyway we can.
“He’s just bigger than me. And that’s what I’m trying to get to. That’s really the only difference.”
You could say the brothers share an elevated ability. More than one Kentucky player has noted Jacob Toppin’s leaping ability.
“The stories are not exaggerated,” Toppin said in a pleasant matter-of-fact tone. “I surprise myself sometimes when I jump because I’m jumping higher than I usually jump.”
How high? He said his vertical leap has been measured at 39 inches. However impressive that might seem, he made it sound arresting when he said, “I’m looking inside the rim every time I jump. I don’t know how to explain it.”
He then offered a possible explanation: Heredity.
“Everybody in my family can jump,” he said. “My dad can still dunk, and he’s 40 years old.”
In comparing dunks, Jacob said, “My brother dunks the ball, like, a lot harder. I have a lot more tricks up my sleeve. I can do a lot more things.”
Jacob Toppin spoke confidently of bringing “a lot to the table” in his first Kentucky season. Versatility. A willingness to play defense (“I’m a great defender.”) Basketball savvy.
He said he might be more versatile than his brother in terms of playing either wing position. His brother is the better low-post player, a skill that Jacob said he is seeking to improve.
“I’ve been working with the ‘bigs’ every day, getting better with my post moves,” he said. “Working on playing inside-out more than outside-in.”
Of course, Jacob Toppin transferred from Rhode Island. It was originally thought that he would use this season to improve those skills and others as he sat out.
That plan changed as he saw himself improve in workouts and the coronavirus pandemic seemingly led to more leniency with the rule about transfers required to sit out a season, he said.
As a freshman for Rhode Island last season, Toppin averaged 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds. He described the season as “a big learning experience.”
“I didn’t weigh a lot,” he said. “So, I had to get stronger. I had to be more physical. I had to think the game faster because I was playing right away and I was contributing right away.”
The 2019-20 season included Jacob Toppin playing against Obi Toppin. Dayton won 81-67. Obi played 34 minutes and scored 22 points. Jacob played 15 minutes and scored four points.
“It was very fun playing against my brother,” he said. “Because not a lot of people do that at the D-I level. … Definitely a fun memory I won’t forget.”
Last season also included two games against Southeastern Conference teams. Toppin scored 11 points (making three of four three-point shots) in a 93-79 Rhode Island victory over Alabama. He scored 10 points in a 96-83 loss to LSU.
“I definitely got a taste of the waters,” he said of the SEC competition to come. “Playing against them was a lot different than playing some (Atlantic 10) schools because they’re a lot bigger and a lot tougher and stronger. And they play a lot faster.
“So, I mean, that’s kind of my speed. I like playing fast and I like toughness because I’m a gritty player. I like banging with people. So, it was definitely a fun moment for me. And I’m definitely going to be prepared when we play them again.”
This story was originally published October 30, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
