PistonPowered
Fansided

Detroit Pistons 2020 NBA Draft profile: Dayton’s Obi Toppin

By Ari Eizen

DAYTON, OH - FEBRUARY 08: Obi Toppin #1 of the Dayton Flyers is seen during the game against the Saint Louis Billikens at UD Arena on February 8, 2020 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
DAYTON, OH - FEBRUARY 08: Obi Toppin #1 of the Dayton Flyers is seen during the game against the Saint Louis Billikens at UD Arena on February 8, 2020 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
Obi Toppin #1 of the Dayton Flyers (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Obi Toppin #1 of the Dayton Flyers (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Pistons will likely make a high selection in the upcoming draft. Could they have a chance at drafting Obi Toppin?

From the second that the Detroit Pistons traded Andre Drummond at the NBA trade deadline, Pistons fans knew which direction the season was heading.

The team went from a team that fans enjoyed watching the young players grow and a borderline playoff team to the team that has now become a non-contender.

It is clear that Pistons have hit the rebuild button and accepted the fact that sitting in the mediocre middle of the Eastern Conference is not a place where the franchise wants to be moving forward.

Related Story. NBA Draft profile: James Wiseman. light

The next step for the Pistons organization is to start forming a core for the team moving forward. Since the departure of two-time All-Star Drummond, Christian Wood has been incredible, averaging 20.0 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.7%  FG from the field.

Before injuring his knee in December, Luke Kennard seemed to have hit his stride and was in the midst of a breakout season, averaging 15.8 points per game while shooting a 58.4% efficient field goal percentage. Lastly, while he has been struggling as of lately, Sekou Doumbouya has shown promise during his time in the NBA this season.

Keep in mind, this kid is only 19 and is the youngest player in the league right now. With these three players already around, the Pistons should be looking to find a few more pieces to solidify the Pistons core for the years to come.

light. Related Story. NBA Draft profile; Theo Maledon

Right now, the Pistons are sitting in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and 24th in the whole league with a record of 19-38. The Pistons are projected to draft in the 6-10 range this upcoming June.

While they may not get the chance to grab the elite players in the draft, there are still some players who can be considered steals and will be helpful to the Pistons down the line.

Obi Toppin is a player who has been climbing up the draft board this whole year. The red-shirt sophomore is six-foot-nine power forward who is the star on the sixth-ranked Dayton Flyers. Toppin could be a steal that will help propel the Pistons to the top.