#2: Cleveland Cavaliers: Obi Toppin | Power Forward | Dayton
Obi Toppin looks and plays like a middle linebacker. The dude is an absolute beast. I’m pretty sure if he wasn’t so gifted on the basketball court, he could waltz into the NFL draft and a team would pick him in the first few rounds on physical presence alone.
Playing for Dayton, he stood out even more over his mid-major peers, but don’t let that fool you. Toppin would stand out on an NBA court as well and is ready to make an immediate impact in the Association.
Toppin is a terror around the rim, and it led to an incredible 63.3 percent field goal percentage, but he is also capable of hitting from the outside. Toppin shot 39 percent from 3-point range on 2.6 attempts per contest. This will be a bad comparison but for comparison purposes, that is 10 percentage points better than Anthony Edwards and 14 percentage points better than LaMelo Ball.
Toppin could be a little more aggressive on the boards than he showed at Dayton because, with his size, guys will think twice about battling him for a rebound, but that will come. I would also suggest teams invest in a few extra backboards because he is bound to shatter one at some point.
Considering the Cavs have some experience with a few high-drama athletes, it may be hard for them to pass up on LaMelo Ball who will get them on TV more than they currently are, but Toppin has such a high floor compared to Ball, he is by far the safer pick.