WATCH: Jacob Toppin Posts Career Night For Westchester Knicks After Slam Dunk Contest Reveal
The view from the Toppin gets sweeter with each passing day.
Jacob Toppin, an undrafted rookie in the New York Knicks' system, recently learned that he would rep the franchise at the upcoming Slam Dunk Contest on Feb. 17. That, apparently, has done nothing to deter his focus from his active NBA G League affairs with the Knicks' club in Westchester.
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In a 139-128 victory over the Birmingham Squadron (the New Orleans Pelicans' affiliate), Toppin put in a career-best 40 points and 16 rebounds, dazzling a crowd of 2,197 gathered at Westchester County Center in White Plains. It was Toppin's first G League showing since learning of his All-Star fate, which will situate him against Jaylen Brown (Boston), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami), and fellow G Leaguer/defending champion Mac McClung (Osceola) for slam dunk glory at Lucas Oil Stadium next Saturday
Among those watching his Friday mastery was former New Yorker and Toppin's older brother Obi, whose Indiana Pacers are in town to face the NBA Knicks on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
View highlights of Toppin's performance below, courtesy of @CynicalNYK on X:
The younger Toppin, currently working his way between Manhattan and Westchester on a two-way deal, has had one of the most eventful weeks of his fledgling professional career: shortly after learning of his Slam Dunk Contest inclusion, he enjoyed the first extended action of his NBA career on Thursday night at Madison Square garden.
With the Knicks severely shorthanded after dealing for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks before the NBA trade deadline, Toppin played 12 minutes in the Knicks' 122-108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Though the Knicks' loss, Toppin did earn the first points of his NBA career, appropriately getting his first pair via a dunk with just over five minutes remaining.
“It was a surreal moment,” Toppin said after Thursday's game, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “This is the league, so everyone has to stay ready, and that’s what we did today. Obviously, we didn’t come out with the W, but we fought hard, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Westchester will host one more game before the All-Star break as the Knicks' prospects return to action on Wednesday against Washington's affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
