NBA Comparison: Larry Nance Jr.

Strengths: Toppin is an athletic 4-man with toughness and a restless motor … Has a “willingness to run through a brick wall” type of demeanor … Highly competitive player who hits the glass hard and has shown excellent improvement in all aspects of the game since he arrived at Texas Tech … Appears to still have some development left physically …  7-plus foot wingspan gives him the ability to play bigger than his 6’8 height and seems to enjoy playing a physical brand of basketball … Shows excellent hands to grab rebounds and corral passes … Broad shoulders and frame, sill be able to add weight and strength and be stronger on the boards … Increased his scoring from 12 to 18 from his freshman to sophomore seasons, in just 25 mpg … Willing to do the dirty work … Crashes the glass hard …Averaged 9 rebs per game in both of his college seasons, a statistic made even more impressive considering it was in just 25 mpg, showing his prowess on the boards … A good athlete with solid second jump ability and strength to handle contact, and apparently be a durable player  … Strong legs … Holds position well in the paint … Solid lateral speed to defend on the perimeter on switches … Has a blue collar mentality, which was likely intensified by being a late bloomer and an unheralded recruit entering college … Solid box out fundamentals on rebounds …

Weaknesses: His offensive game has some limitations due to his lack of great touch and shooting ability (70% Ft, 32% 3p)  … Scoring in a set offense is still a work in progress … Should develop better face the basket skills and in particular a go to move … generally scores on put backs and fast break opportunities … Still learning the nuances of the offensive game … Not great as the roll man in pick and roll situations … Could use more weight, but appears on his way to adding 20-25 lbs to his frame over the next few seasons … While his length and athleticism gives him potential on the defensive end, he still has a long ways to go learning the nuances … Must become better at recognizing screens and playing as a help defender … A decent shot blocker, however his numbers dipped from 1.9 blocks per game as a frreshman to 1.3 as a sophomore … Free throw shooting jumper from 56 to 70% showing solid improvement, however his shooting from the floor remains a work in progress at just 55% from inside the arch and 33% from outside the three point line …

Notes: Native of Dallas, TX … Measured 6′ 7.00” barefoot, 8′ 10.00” standing reach, 221 lbs, 7′ 0.50” wingspan, 28.5 standing vert, 34 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine … . Was cut from his 7th grade team, which apparently put a chip on his shoulder …

Aran Smith 3/25/25