Jacob Toppin the third Kentucky basketball player to enter 2022 NBA Draft
Jacob Toppin announced Tuesday that he will enter his name in this year’s NBA Draft while retaining the option of returning to play for Kentucky next season.
“After discussing my future plans with my family and coaches, I have decided to enter my name in the 2022 NBA Draft,” he tweeted. “Throughout this process I will be keeping my eligibility.”
Toppin became the third UK player to say he would enter his name in this year’s NBA Draft. He followed Keion Brooks and TyTy Washington. Only Washington announced that he would forego any remaining college eligibility.
Earlier, two other Kentucky players, Dontaie Allen and Bryce Hopkins, entered the NCAA transfer portal.
As he has done with all the announcements, UK Coach John Calipari voiced support.
“I think Jacob is making a good decision for him and his family by using the resources that the NCAA allows. I’m in full support of Jacob’s desire to explore his options,” Calipari said in a news release. “Jacob is as athletic as any player who I’ve coached and has really begun to come into his own on the court. He has all of the tools to be successful in this game, but his willingness to share and be a great teammate is a difference maker.”
In announcing he would enter this year’s NBA Draft, Toppin expressed gratitude to God, family, coaches, teammates, trainers and teachers. “Big Blue Nation, the best fans in the world, thank you for all of the support. I love you all!” he added.
During his two seasons for Kentucky, Toppin has become known as a defensive stopper, an example of the next-man-up philosophy espoused by Calipari and an athletically-gifted player who could contribute in multiple ways.
Toppin, who is a younger brother of Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks, had the highest vertical leap on the UK team this past season at 42½ inches.
Toppin, who is from Brooklyn, N.Y., was not heavily recruited out of high school. Rated as a two-star prospect, he played for Rhode Island as a freshman. He averaged 5.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 18.5 minutes.
Toppin transferred to Kentucky after that 2019-20 season. He intended to redshirt, but then played. He averaged 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 24 games. That included a career-high 16 points at Vanderbilt.
As a junior this past season, Toppin played 23 minutes against Duke in the opener, then missed the next five games because of a shoulder injury. He later missed Kentucky’s home game against Florida because of a sprained ankle.
Toppin averaged 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 17.8 minutes in the 2021-22 season.
Toppin’s impact grew in the final weeks of the season. He had three consecutive double-figure scoring games in February: at South Carolina (10 points), at Tennessee (11 points) and at home against Alabama (13). That marked the first time in his career he had consecutive double-figure games.
Toppin also contributed more as the 2020-21 season wound down.He averaged 7.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 23.0 minutes in the final seven regular-season games.
As a college player, Toppin has scored 455 points in 83 games.
In this year’s SEC Tournament quarterfinals, Toppin provided a spark that helped Kentucky beat Vanderbilt. Besides scoring 10 points, he blocked three shots. One of the blocks was a memorable leaping swat off the backboard in the first half that changed the momentum in Kentucky’s favor.
“What he did for us on defense was phenomenal,” Washington said after the game. “He brings that for us every game. He’s always rebounding. He’s just an energy guy for us.”
Toppin left that game after breaking his nose. He returned to play against Vandy and in Kentucky’s losses to Tennessee the next day and against Saint Peter’s in the NCAA Tournament while wearing a mask.
More than once, Calipari spoke of Toppin’s ability to guard all five positions and be effective on offense either around the basket on the perimeter.
This story was originally published April 12, 2022 at 12:41 PM.
