WATCH: Knicks' Jacob Toppin Calls Upon Brother Obi's Help in Slam Dunk Contest
For one night only, Obi Toppin was back on on the New York Knicks.
Toppin shared the floor with his brother Jacob, assisting him as the latter entered the family business on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium: Jacob repped the Knicks organization in the latest edition of the Slam Dunk Contest.
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The G League standout from Westchester brought his older sibling, a 2020 first-round pick for the Knicks, out for his opener, leaping over him for a reverse jam to the delight of the Indianapolis crowd. The elder Toppin is currently a member of the hosting Indiana Pacers after a July trade.
To further solidify the brotherly bond and perhaps seeking a bit of fraternal luck, Jacob wore the same sneakers that Obi wore during his victory in the 2022 edition in Cleveland.
For his second attempt, Toppin engaged in a 360-degree reverse slam, somewhat mirroring the emphatic blast that secured Obi's victory two seasons prior. The two previously shared Indianapolis hardwood back on Dec. 30, when the Knicks did battle with the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
View Toppin's dunks below (h/t New York Basketball/Bleacher Report):
Alas, reuniting with Obi was not enough to draw the favor of judges Darnell Hillman, Fred Jones, Gary Payton, Mitch Richmond, and Dominique Wilkins. Toppin was granted a combined score of 95 from the panel (47.8+47.2) but that wasn't enough to get past Jaylen Brown (Boston) and defending champion fellow G Leaguer Mac McClung (Osceola).
Toppin did manage to finish ahead of fourth-place finisher Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami), ensuring that a Knick finished third in the Slam Dunk Contest for the second straight season (Jericho Sims doing so last year).
McClung, currently stationed in the Orlando Magic's system, wound up protecting his title, sealing the deal with a perfect score of 50 in the final round. He impressed judges with a reverse slam over sizable NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal (who recently had his number retired by Osceola's parent organization), who was made to wear McClung's jersey from Gate City (VA) High School.
Toppin is set to bring his dunking prowess back to White Plains on Thursday when Westchester faces the Windy City Bulls (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
