Jacob Toppin, Kentucky Wildcats
Toppin surprised many when he transferred to Kentucky in 2020. After all, he had started three games as a freshman at Rhode Island, with modest averages of 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds. But as his career in Lexington has progressed, it's obvious to see why John Calipari took a chance. Toppin is supremely explosive, especially in the open floor, and has continued to expand his game over the past couple of seasons. The numbers haven't quite taken a leap yet (6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds last season), but improvement might be coming: Toppin was one of two Kentucky players to log at least 20 minutes in all four games on their Bahamas trip in August, and shot 8-for-15 from 3.What we're hearing: "The thing with Toppin is he's a program guy. ... They're going to have their influx of freshmen, so it's good for him that he's been there. He's steadily improved. He's really worked on his body. He's added a lot of muscle mass. Plays really hard. Gets loose balls. The biggest key for him has been he's able to make 15-footers at a really consistent rate, but can he keep the defense honest enough where he's making 3s? That's the key to him being a piece or being a breakout guy." -- SEC assistant coach
Bryce Hopkins, Providence Friars
Hopkins was a top-35 prospect in the 2021 recruiting class, committing to and then decommitting from Louisville in favor of in-state rival Kentucky. But he never carved out a role during his lone season in Lexington, averaging 2.1 points in just 6.4 minutes. Oddly enough, he had one standout performance in SEC play against LSU, when he had 13 points and four rebounds in 16 minutes to help beat the Tigers. But he saw just six minutes in the seven games prior, then seven minutes in the next five games. Now he's on a Providence team that lost most of its key players from last season. Ed Cooley will be looking for guys who can make an immediate impact. With his physicality and versatility, it wouldn't be a shock to see Hopkins emerge as the Friars' best player.What we're hearing: "I'm expecting a lot from Bryce Hopkins. I think he has brought so much versatility. I think he's just learning how to be more consistent. My terminology to him is, be an everyday guy. Dominate practice every day so you learn how to dominate in a game. He's been a great addition to Friartown. I think when it's said and done, Bryce Hopkins will not just be a Big East name, he'll be a national name." -- Providence coach Ed Cooley
Take two: These players could have a breakout 2022-23 season
They might not have had a great debut, or even second or third-year campaign. But they've put in the work, and are poised for stardom in 2022-23.
