Washington Wizards draft prospect highlight: Obadiah Toppin

Intangibles

Obi has some nice height at 6’9,” which makes him about as tall as Rui Hachimura and Isaac Bonga. He’d fit into either forward spot and brings a lot more strength than Bonga or Brown to the swing position.

In fact, Obi is stronger than most college players at the forward position, and faster than most centers, so he should fit in well in the modern fast-paced NBA landscape at either forward position for any team. The strength helps Obi absorb and finish through contact too, which is definitely useful at the NBA level.

There’s also the fact that his shooting has improved dramatically since he joined Dayton. Specifically, from three-point land and his ability to pull up off the dribble. Those two improvements are something many NBA players have failed to implement in their first year or two in the league and he’s already demonstrated he has that potential while still in college.

Obi Toppin, while an elite athlete, is not a “multiple effort” type of player. He’s not going to surprise you with hustle plays or pursue a defensive play beyond the initial effort. This doesn’t mean he’s “lazy” perse, but he wouldn’t be considered a “high energy” type of player, which isn’t the worst thing in the world because it means he’s prepared to pace himself and play big minutes at the NBA level, but he won’t wow you with his effort.

His shot IQ and passing IQ are above average as well for a big man, so he brings some nice playmaking ability and won’t have a negative effect on the team game on the offensive side of the ball. He can make a pass off the dribble too so he may make “Point Bonga” a forgotten thing of the pass if the Washington Wizards choose to draft him.

Finally, and on the downside, his footwork isn’t all that great. He’s heavy-footed and slow, which lends to slow lateral movement. He has a higher than average center of gravity too, which makes his perimeter defense all the more awkward, and is prone to crossing his feet when trying to defend faster ballhandlers.