Obi Toppin Addresses Knicks Past, Tom Thibodeau
Is "Obi vs. Thibs" the new "Reggie vs. Spike?" If it's up to one of the alleged combatants in the rivalry, probably not.
In his first statements as an Indiana Pacer, former New York Knick Obi Toppin responded to allegations of a feud with head coach Tom Thibodeau. Rumors of a rift between Toppin and the New York boss had been raised based on simple looks at the former's minutes after coming over as the eighth pick of the 2020 draft (averaging 14.7 over three seasons).
That gossip reached a boiling point when a report from Fred Katz of The Athletic said that the two had a verbal altercation following a New York playoff loss in Miami. Toppin's Indiana introduction allowed him to comment and he hinted at burying the hatchet ... if there was even one to bury in the first place.
"I’m not going to lie. I ain’t really see anything," Toppin said, per Steve Popper of Newsday. "I ain’t on social media like that. All I’m really focused on is having the opportunity to come out here, meet the new guys, meet the staff and get this fresh start and win some games."
While Toppin admitted that he "didn’t get the minutes (he) wanted" in New York, he had kind words for his original NBA employers on his way out.
"I had a great time with the Knicks," Toppin said (h/t SNY). "Obviously, it's been a dream to have the opportunity to play at MSG and obviously put that Knicks jersey on. There were great players there, great coaches, and everybody was amazing there."
The Knicks and Pacers made the Toppin trade official on Friday, with New York getting back second-round picks in 2028 and 2029. Toppin should get an immediate chance to succeed in Indianapolis as the Pacers try to claw their way back into contention. Indiana, primarily sustained by the work of All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, lingered at the outskirts of the postseason picture for most of the season though they were kept out of the top eight for the third consecutive year.
The Toppin surname lingers in the New York organization in the form of Jacob Toppin, Obi's younger brother who joined the Knicks as an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky. Jacob is not partaking in the ongoing Vegas Summer League competition due to an injury but his older brother has high hopes for his professional career.
“I’m super excited for Jacob, super excited that he has the opportunity to be up here in the league,” the elder Toppin said, per Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “He’s worked extremely hard for this opportunity. Hopefully, we can be on the court again [together] at this level when we play them.”
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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