Might UK’s Jacob Toppin join his celebrated brother in the NBA someday?
As the consensus National Player of the Year last season and a presumed lottery pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft, Obi Toppin became a basketball celebrity. He predicted his younger brother, Jacob Toppin, will make a splash playing for Kentucky.
“Jacob’s potential is super high,” Toppin said in a pre-draft video teleconference.
The brothers talk daily. Obi said Jacob called him minutes before the video call to tell him about touching the top of the backboard during UK’s testing of vertical leaps.
“Knowing him, he exaggerates sometimes,” Obi said with a smile. “But he’s definitely putting in the work.”
Jacob transferred to Kentucky after playing as a freshman for Rhode Island last season. The NCAA and Southeastern Conference waived rules requiring transfers to sit out a season.
“He’s super excited that he’s able to play this year …,” Obi said. “He’s going to make a statement.
“And I feel like I can’t wait to be able to play with him at the next level because I feel like he’s worthy enough to be able to get there with me.”
If it happens, the Toppins will join such NBA brothers as Stephen and Seth Curry, Markieff and Marcus Morris, Harvey and Horace Grant, Dominique and Gerald Wilkins, Chuck and Wesley Person and Tom and Dick Van Arsdale.
UK had a part in a brotherly NBA connection when Marquis Teague joined Jeff Teague in the league.
‘They don’t know’
The coronavirus pandemic forced players to wait an additional five months to see if they will be picked in this year’s NBA Draft.
How is former UK guard Ashton Hagans’ patience holding up as the draft finally nears?
“He’s excited and nervous at the same time … ,” his father, Marvin Hagans, said. “I guarantee you all the guys are excited and nervous at the same time because they don’t know.”
Of course, all the guys include several former UK players in this year’s draft: Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, Nick Richards, Nate Sestina, EJ Montgomery, Kahlil Whitney and Hagans.
In preparing for the draft, Hagans worked out in Las Vegas, his father said.
“It’s a new time in your life,” the elder Hagans said. “And a time for you to be a man.”
Round robin?
Ole Miss Coach Kermit Davis had an idea about how to lessen the concern about the coronavirus this coming season.
“I wish we’d gone all SEC games,” he said. “I wish we’d have played a 26-game SEC schedule and just played a round robin.
“It would be terrible for coaches, but great for fans and media and, you know, the SEC Network.”
How did his SEC coaching colleagues react to this idea?
“They didn’t like that very much,” Davis said with a smile. “I didn’t mention it in front of the whole group.”
UK Coach John Calipari’s reaction to the idea of 26 league games? “I think Cal wanted to play his Louisville game,” Davis playfully said before adding, “I don’t know if Cal wanted to play his Louisville game or not. I think they wanted their national games.”
SEC only?
Vanderbilt Coach Jerry Stackhouse seemed willing to accept playing only SEC teams. “We may all feel a little safer and a little more insulated in that environment,” he said.
Lower-level programs might not be able to afford the COVID testing SEC teams will do, he said.
As for SEC competition in every game, Stackhouse saw “luck of the draw” as a factor. Teams could catch a highly regarded league opponent early in the season before that opponent meshed.
Of a schedule filled mostly — or totally — with SEC opponents, Stackhouse said, “If things continue to trend the way they are, I wouldn’t be surprised if we decide to go to something like that.”
Renaissance men
Among the prospective picks in this year’s draft are players who’ve done well academically as well as athletically.
LSU guard Skylar Mays is a three-time Academic All-American who graduated summa cum laude with a degree in kinesiology. He wants to be a doctor after his basketball career
Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey graduated in the top 5 percent of his high school class.
Memphis center James Wiseman speaks Mandarin. He studied the language in high school.
Youth movement
A college freshman has been selected No. 1 overall in each of the last 10 years. The last non-freshman to be selected with the first pick was Oklahoma sophomore Blake Griffin in 2009.
The NBA lists Tyrese Maxey (UK), Anthony Edwards (Georgia) and Isaac Okoro (Auburn) among the top freshmen in this year’s draft.
It takes time
NBA Draft history suggests that overnight success can happen. But it’s not the norm.
Of the 60 players who were drafted in 2019, 37 spent time in the NBA G League during the 2019-20 season. That included 10 first-round selections.
That also included at least one lottery pick: Indiana freshman Romeo Langford, who was taken by the Boston Celtics with the 14th pick.
Cal says
The NBA Draft media guide includes brief biographies of prospective picks. Each includes a quote on the player. Here’s what UK Coach John Calipari said about:
Ashton Hagans: “What’s going to separate him is his competitiveness. That kid is a winner. His competitive spirit drives him and is why I love him. If I’m going to battle, I’m taking Ashton.”
Tyrese Maxey: “He is going to do great in (the NBA) because there’s nothing he can’t do. … In a lot of ways, he reminds me of what Jamal Murray was able to do, and we know how well he has done in the NBA.”
Immanuel Quickley: “He couldn’t guard a year ago. … Now all of a sudden he became one of our best defenders.”
Self-analysis
Here’s how Kahlil Whitney, who left UK 18 games into his freshman season, described his game: “I’m a defensive-minded guy, so I try to get stops and try to make it easier for the offense. I can shoot the ball pretty well, shoot the mid-range. Block shots. Get to the rim and finish. I’m very athletic. My athleticism is a pretty big part of my game, so I try to use it as much as possible.”
Trivia
Since the mid-1960s, only two players who were not among the first 14 picks (what now is known as the lottery) have been named Rookie of the Year.
Who are they?
Malcolm Brogdon, who was taken by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 36th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft.
Mark Jackson, who was taken by the New York Knicks with the 18th pick of the 1987 NBA Draft.
Big Blue Crush
The 33rd Big Blue Crush will be Monday through Friday of this coming week. Kentucky and Tennessee compete to see which state has the most blood donations.
Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, feel well and healthy, show a photo I.D. and meet additional requirements. Parental permission slips can be found at kybloodcenter.org. Donors awaiting results of a COVID-19 test should not attempt to donate. Appointments are preferred to ensure social distancing. Walk-ins are accepted as space and social distancing permit. Face coverings are required. To schedule a donation or find other donation locations, visit kybloodcenter.org or call 800-775-2522.
Help needed
Joe Biddle, a longtime columnist with the Nashville Banner, needs help. He requires assisted living care due to dementia. The VA Hospital cannot admit him because of waiting lists made longer by COVID. Private care is beyond the family’s means.
His family launched an effort through the GoFundMe site to get Biddle the care he needs. Any excess funds will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Donations can be made at www.gofundme.com/f/i-backed-biddle.
Biddle is in the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Tennessee Sportswriters Hall of Fame and is a Vietnam War veteran.
Happy birthday
To Jason Lathrem. He turned 44 on Thursday. … To Twany Beckham. He turned 32 on Saturday. … To Jared Prickett. He turned 47 on Saturday. … To A.J. Stewart. He turned 32 on Saturday. … To Karl-Anthony Towns. He turns 25 on Sunday (today). … To Charles Matthews. He turns 24 on Sunday (today). … To Clarence Tillman. He turns 60 on Sunday (today). … To former Auburn coach Sonny Smith. He turns 84 on Sunday (today). … To Alex Legion. He turns 32 on Monday. … To Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim. He turns 76 on Tuesday.
NBA Draft
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
TV: ESPN and NBA
