Obi Toppin
A high-flying power forward who went from a late-blooming college star to an NBA Slam Dunk Champion known for his aerial theatrics.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 4·Generation Z
Biography
Obi Toppin's ascent in basketball was not a foregone conclusion. A growth spurt in high school transformed his game, but he spent a post-graduate year without major college offers before landing at Dayton. There, under coach Anthony Grant, he exploded onto the national scene. His sophomore year was a revelation: a dunking phenomenon with a polished offensive game, he led the Flyers to a historic season and swept the major national player of the year awards. Drafted by the New York Knicks, his NBA journey has been about adapting his explosive, highlight-reel style to the league's demands. He won the 2022 Slam Dunk Contest in spectacular fashion, a perfect showcase for his leaping ability and charisma. Traded to the Indiana Pacers, Toppin found a faster-paced system that better suits his skills, evolving from a pure dunker into a versatile finisher and energetic contributor in a team's rotation.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Obi was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Obi Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Obi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Naismith College Player of the Year award in 2020 after a dominant season with the Dayton Flyers.
- Named the NBA Slam Dunk Champion in 2022 while with the New York Knicks.
- Selected with the 8th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks.
- Led the NCAA in player efficiency rating (PER) during his national player of the year season.
Did You Know?
He is the son of former professional basketball player Obadiah Toppin Sr., who played overseas.
He did not receive any NCAA Division I scholarship offers coming out of high school and attended a prep school for a post-graduate year.
He and his brother Jacob were both contestants in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest (Jacob in 2023).
“The rim isn't the finish line; it's just part of the play.”
