Kentucky basketball’s Jacob Toppin goes undrafted, agrees to deal with Knicks

Jacob Toppin’s name wasn’t one of the 58 called on NBA Draft night Thursday in New York, but shortly after he locked up his next opportunity.

The former Kentucky star agreed to a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported. Toppin’s brother, Obi, plays for the Knicks after being drafted in the first round in 2020.

That followed a night in which Cason Wallace (first round, 10th overall) and Chris Livingston (second round, 58th overall) were draft selections. Oscar Tshiebwe also went undrafted.

In the NBA, two-way contracts allow developing players to simultaneously be rostered by an NBA team and its G League affiliate.

Toppin, a 6-9 forward from Brooklyn, came to Kentucky three years ago as a high-upside transfer from Rhode Island, a promising talent with plenty of untapped potential and much still to learn on the basketball court.

He averaged 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this past season for Kentucky, and he was often singled out for his defensive ability. In the final victory of his UK career, Toppin had 18 points, six rebounds and turned in a terrific defensive performance against former teammate Bryce Hopkins to help lead the Cats past Providence, its first NCAA Tournament win in four years.

“Ever since I was a kid, it’s always been a dream of mine to be able to play at the highest level of basketball,” Toppin said when he announced his decision to go pro. “I came to Kentucky to chase that dream, and in my time here I’ve grown tremendously, not only as a player but as a man. This place has taught me things that I will take with me for the rest of my life.”

This story was originally published June 23, 2023 at 9:09 AM.