Photography through SEC
When he originally decided to move from Rhode Island to Kentucky last April, Jacob Toppin came in with the intention of changing the 2020-21 season, regardless of the NCAA’s potential immediate transfer rule. At the time, the 6-foot 9, 194-pound forward from Brooklyn, New York, wanted to stay the year to develop his body and his game that would lead to a strong debut season in 2021-22.
When the NCAA announced an additional year of eligibility for student-athletes competing in winter sports due to COVID-19, however, both Kentucky and Toppin decided to apply for a waiver for immediate eligibility in which equates to a free college basketball season. With four years of eligibility remaining, the long-term development goals for the second year at school could be maintained by helping the program at the plant right away. He was the winner of both parties.
Now, with 19 games in his young career in Kentucky, Toppin has become a strong contributor to the bench, averaging 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game. And his biggest performance of the year was the UK’s 82-78 victory at Vanderbilt on Wednesday evening, with the 6-foot and 9-lead leading to 16 points in a 5-9 shot and 5-5 from the line to end with four rebounds, two assists and a block in 22 minutes.
“I was just happy. What I told the team afterwards, a real team doesn’t know who will have this great game and who it is, of everyone I will be ecstatic for. They were ecstatic about him in that locker room, “said British coach John Calipari after the victory.” We are becoming a team. “Instead of doing what I want to do, what does this team need to do it?” Jacob came in, he looked good, we were able to put him in the lead, which meant we could trade him for the big boy.
“… Jacob, I wouldn’t have subdued him at all if the game could have lasted. He was playing too well. It came with the last bounce the game won, right? ”
In a year where all production is giving the icing on the cake to Toppin, he has now finished in double figures three times and added six or more rebounds six times.
As Calipari would say, he has found a “good change” in a season of “money found.”
“For Jacob, it’s money found. It’s money he found on the couch, “he said. “It took a good turn.”
Despite his original red shirt plans, Toppin believes the free year of experience on the court is allowing him to improve as a player every day and prepare him for greater long-term success.
“This season has helped me a lot,” he said. “I’m learning from everything that’s going on, from the experience I have. I’m getting better every day.”
With just one point left with 30 seconds to go, Toppin defeated two free throws to gain a three-point lead. After the Commodores responded with two free throws of their own, Toppin continued with two more marks on the line to extend the lead to three with 19 seconds left.
It was four consecutive marks that helped consolidate the victory, Kentucky’s second in a row.
“It’s just a mentality. If you have this mindset that you will shoot, you will shoot. You can’t have any doubts in yourselves, “Toppin said of his free-kick shots to close out the game.” I had all the confidence in the world that I was going to make those free throws when they mattered. “
Toppin’s long-term plans in Kentucky remain, but the Brooklyn native provides a lot of immediate help in a year that the WildCats need.