NBA Draft Prospect: San Antonio Spurs Fit For Dayton Flyers Big Man

The San Antonio Spurs find themselves in an unusual predicament in this season. While the year isn’t done yet, they are still trying to fight their way into a playoff spot. They are currently the tenth seed in the Western Conference with a 23-31 win-loss record. This season might be the year that the Spurs enter the draft lottery – something that the franchise hasn’t experienced in a long time.

The Spurs have always been known to recruit, train and develop young talent. Their system has worked and continues to enhance multiple NBA players that come into their program. This has been one of the key formulas of success of the Spurs as the growth of their talent internally within their franchise has propelled them into success.

While this continues to be the case, the team is still struggling to secure the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They have trade assets with DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge but the trade deadline has passed and no significant roster changes ensued. They also signed DeMarre Carroll but his contract was eventually bought out and will be signing with the Houston Rockets.

If the Spurs end up with the lottery pick, Dayton Flyers Big Man Obadiah Richard “Obi” Toppin is a good option to take. Toppin is among the leading scorers in the Atlantic 10 Conference with 19.4 points per game. He is also averaging 7.7 rebounds and is also 62.4% shooting from the field.

He was not recruited coming out of high school. He had to prove the scouts wrong with the hard work he put up in his stint in Mt. Zion Prep. With the help of his work ethic and a growth spurt, his D-1 scholarship offers followed.

With his six-foot-nine frame and athletic ability, Toppin is compared to multiple NBA stars. He is said to have the build and explosiveness of Amar'e Stoudemire coupled with Al Horford’s floor-stretching ability. He’s very versatile on the court as he can attack inside the paint but can also shoot from the perimeter.

If the Spurs can pick up Toppin, he can be trained to further improve his skills. He’s scouted to have a high basketball IQ, knowing where to cut and move without the basketball – a possible fit for a team that focuses on ball movement like the Spurs.