Knicks Sign Obi Toppin
NEW YORK, November 23, 2020 – The New York Knicks announced today that the team has signed its first-round selection, forward Obi Toppin, to a contract.
Toppin, 22, was selected on November 18 by the Knicks with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of the University of Dayton. At college, the 6-9, 220-pound forward averaged 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.23 blocks over 31.6 minutes in 31 games during his sophomore season en route to consensus All-America First Team honors and the 2019-20 Naismith Trophy, awarded to the National Player of the Year. Toppin was the first consensus All-American in Dayton’s history.
The Brooklyn, New York-native was the only player in the nation to average 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and shoot over 60% from the field. He had the best field goal percentage in the last five years of any Division I player who averaged at least 20.0 points per game. The 2019-20 John R. Wooden Award winner helped lead the University of Dayton to 29-wins in the regular season, the most in school history.