Meet the 2022-23 Kentucky Wildcats: Jacob Toppin positioned for a breakout season
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Need to know: Where every Wildcat fits for 2022-23
Meet every member of the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team through a series of preseason stories.
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We’re getting to know all 15 of the 2022-23 Kentucky Wildcats. Here is what to expect from one of the UK seniors. Watch Kentucky.com for stories about all of the remaining Cats as the preseason unfolds.
Jacob Toppin
Uniform number: 0.
Height/weight: 6-9, 205.
Position: Forward.
Class: Senior.
Age: 22.
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
High school: Woodstock Academy (Conn.).
Toppin’s role in 2022-23: Is this the time for a breakout season from Toppin? To this point, he’s been a complementary player off the bench for Kentucky, but — going into year three as a Wildcat — there’s been as much buzz about Toppin this offseason as anyone on the roster.
For this UK team to reach its maximum potential, the fun-loving forward needs to take that next step in his game. He’s shown he can be a spark-plug defender and an energy guy off the bench. This season, the Cats will need him to be relentless on the defensive end — while playing more minutes in a much larger role — and continue to hone his versatile offensive potential, which will probably include a dramatic increase in three-point shots (he took just 10 last season).
John Calipari said late in the preseason that — to go from role player to “significant guy” — Toppin will need to play a more physical brand of basketball. That includes rebounding in traffic, playing strong defense off the ball, and generally involving himself in the game much more than he has in the past.
He has the physical tools to be one of the best, most versatile defenders in the country, and he’s shown an ability to get hot as a shooter. Toppin has a clear path to a starting spot, and possibly a co-starring role alongside Oscar Tshiebwe.
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
