Hawks Forward Jacob Toppin Highlighted On G League Standouts List

The Atlanta Hawks' G League development program has been right up there with the best in the NFL. Jalen Johnson was taken outside of the lottery and turned into a NBA starter within two years. Mo Gueye began as a second round pick and has been a rotation player for the Hawks this season. Even players like Vit Krejci and Keaton Wallace have been able to stand in as occasional starters.

Part of that has to be attributed to the work that the College Park Skyhawks do with these players. It's one of the more successful G League organizations in the NBA and playing well with the Skyhawks usually gives you a chance to get a look with Atlanta's regular roster.

It appears that Jacob Toppin might be the next G League standout to find his way into Atlanta's rotation. Toppin got to start one game with the Hawks at the end of last season and he looked excellent, scoring 17 points on 6-12 shooting from the field while canning five of his eight three-pointers. He also pulled down four rebounds and dished out two assists. It has not gone unnoticed that he might be the next name to watch as he develops in College Park.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman recently did a prediction of every NBA team's best G League prospect and Toppin earned the nod for him. Here is what Wasserman had to say about him:

"In 65 career G League games, Jacob Toppin has delivered enough production and signs of development to put him on track for an eventual NBA role. He's gradually morphed into a more skilled scorer and shotmaker from just a high-flying energy forward. Toppin, who put up over 30 points six times last year between his time with the Westchester Knicks and Skyhawks, also shot 37.1 percent on 5.7 three-point attempts per game. On a two-way with Atlanta, Toppin should get his chance to bring some bounce, firepower and defensive activity off the Hawks' bench."

The hype on Toppin is certainly warranted. He's only 25 years old and while that sounds rather old for a prospect, wings take a long time to develop in the NBA. At 6'9, he might be able to step in for the Hawks at the end of the season if he's able to improve his defense. Toppin clearly has a role at the NBA level as a shooter, but it remains to be seen whether he can actually hold up on both sides of the court.

Still, it isn't like the Hawks frontcourt is in desperate need of help anytime soon. Although Jalen Johnson missed yesterday's game against the Lakers, Mo Gueye and Asa Newell had great games in relief of Johnson. Gueye, a former College Park standout, proved that he wasn't just a G League story when he got opportunities last year. In his minutes last season, the Hawks' defensive rating improved by 5 points (116.3 to 110.5) and opponents turn the ball over at a slightly higher rate (15.9% to 17.2%). He also affected game as a rebounder, forcing a reduction in offensive rebounding percentage from 26.8% to 24.8%. This season, he's posted a career-high 7.5 points per game on 53.6% shooting from the field and 37% from three on limited volume. He's also grabbing 4.4 boards and dishing out 1.5 assists per game, both of which are career-highs.

In Newell's case, he likely will spend a good bit of time in College Park this season. There aren't many minutes avaliable for him once Johnson gets healthy and he'll have much more of a chance to be a featured player with the Skyhawks. However, his first real NBA stint went rather well - he had 17 points and five rebounds while shooting 40% from deep. The shot won't always be there for him, but he was clearly a helpful presence on the boards and did a good job of staying in front of his assignment on defense. Newell might only be a 3&D player with the Hawks this season, but the on-ball reps he gets with College Park will be helpful in bolstering his ceiling.

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