Emotional Obi Toppin After Knicks Selection: 'I'm From New York, That's Why It's Important'

The New York Knicks have selected Dayton forward Obi Toppin with the No. 8 pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Toppin—who's from Brooklyn—was overcome with emotion upon finding out that he would become a Knick, and was excited to get the chance to represent his city.

“I’m from New York," Toppin said when asked about the importance of wearing a Knicks jersey. "That’s why it’s important. Me repping my city, it’s amazing. A lot of people pray to be in this position, and I’m not gonna take it for granted, I promise you that.”

Toppin was the consensus National Player of the Year in 2020 after leading the Flyers to a 29-2 record. He averaged 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 63.3% from the field and 39.0% on 3-point attempts as a sophomore. In addition to his unmatched production, Toppin turned heads with his eye-popping in-game dunks:

In his latest mock draft, Sports Illustrated draft expert Jeremy Woo broke down what Toppin can bring to an NBA team. 

"Toppin’s defensive concerns are real, but his inside-out scoring acumen and consistent energy should make him a potential Rookie of the Year candidate wherever he lands. Toppin’s age (22 years old) is only a holdup for teams to a certain point, and in the context of this draft, he feels like a pretty safe bet in the eyes of many."

The Knicks went 21-45 last season and finished in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. The team did not participate in the NBA's Orlando bubble restart.