Former Knicks Forward Announces Major Life Event

The former New York Knicks player announced a major life event.

May 17, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) shoots the ball during game six of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Obi Toppin left the New York Knicks and got a ring.

That ring is of the off-the-court, if not equally jubilant, variety, as Toppin announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Magdalena Bellinger on his social media channels. Toppin proposed to Bellinger as the Pacers are preparing to face the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Paris Games this week.

Former Knicks teammates Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Mitchell Robinson were among the well-wishers, as were Knicks broadcasters Rebecca Haarlow and Monica McNutt. The Pacers called it the "perfect Paris proposal" in celebration.

Toppin, working through his second season in Indianapolis, had been dating Bellinger since March 2020, months before the Knicks brought him in as the eighth pick in the NBA Draft. Like the Dayton alum Toppin, Bellinger made her mark in the Atlantic 10 as a student-athlete, playing soccer at George Mason. The couple has two children together, Remiel and Oziah.

Toppin spent three seasons with the Knicks before he was sent to the Pacers during the 2023 offseason. The two sides squared off in last season's Eastern Conference Semifinals and Toppin's Pacers prevailed in a seven-game series. Though he comes off the bench, Toppin has received ample playing in Indiana, averaging 10.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in a season-plus. Toppin's younger brother Jacob currently resides in the Knicks' system, splitting his time between Manhattan and the G League club in Westchester.

Since a slow start, Toppin and the Pacers (24-19) have gotten back on track, winning 14 of their last 18 games, including eight of nine in the new calendar year. They'll face the Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Feb. 11, seeking revenge for a 25-point shellacking laid down in New York's home opener back in October.

In the meantime, Indiana faces an international doubleheader with Victory Wembanyama and the Spurs in Paris, with part one scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Accor Arena (2 p.m. ET, NBA TV).

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