Toppin needs to realize.. basketball games.. It’s Showtime !

[93kicker]

Playing well at basketball takes a lot of things.. but for those who perform great, realize it’s a show and they love performing.

Relax, see the game, let it come to you and play your role with great confidence and realize every missed shot is just part of the performance.
Bird, Magic, Jordan, Curry- are the standard
Every game is a stage play, and you have to bring it .. Toppin seems to play worried, plays hard, but not with a lot of freedom.
Maybe he needs to go back and watch a Marshall Henderson tape= he’s the extreme.. )

 

[812scottj]

He’s just not all that skilled. He’s crazy athletic, but his handles are loose, no consistency in the post, and isn’t a great shooter

 

[SemperFiCat]

IMO, he needs less showtime, and more just make the shot or smart play. The effort is there. Just needs to finish.

 

[zannmann]

Toppin is a great athlete, but a good basketball player.

 

[The_Answer1313]

To me Toppin isn't a player where u feel like you are going to get consistent production from.

He's more of a guy that's gonna have the occasional big game every now and then.

 

[93kicker]

I don’t disagree with the thoughts above, my main point is offensive basketball, is 90% mental, esp shooting in a game... and you need to have a performers mentality to be successful.. mentally he’s pressing .. just relax, play the game with some swagger.. realize, playing with some swagger will help you play to your talent level.

 

[Smashcat]

We'll see how he does against a MSU team that should be physical with him. If he's not making perimeter shots it won't go well imo.

 

[kl40504]

Playing well at basketball takes a lot of things.. but for those who perform great, realize it’s a show and they love performing.

Relax, see the game, let it come to you and play your role with great confidence and realize every missed shot is just part of the performance.
Bird, Magic, Jordan, Curry- are the standard
Every game is a stage play, and you have to bring it .. Toppin seems to play worried, plays hard, but not with a lot of freedom.
Maybe he needs to go back and watch a Marshall Henderson tape= he’s the extreme.. )

Maybe you could take his place.

 

[Cawood86]

I think he's one that right now that is avoiding contact. Needs to adapt that part of his game.

 

[kybassfan]

Kentucky: Where basketball players go to get ripped by the fans.

 

[93kicker]

Maybe you could take his place.

Don’t be so sure I couldn’t

 

[yes_takeaside]

.Quit pressing to impress for the next level.

Just be all you can be and quit trying to be something you’re not.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Toppin needs to settle down, stop the show off shit, and play hard. Take the easiest shot, get yo the rim, make a pass. Rebound. Seems he’s trying to be great instead of making the smart play. My take.

 

[katwest]

Correct, he needs to let the game come to him and do what he does well and not force things when it's not there. He has the ability to do a whole lot more, I think more is expected from him being a senior. He still has time.

 

[jca4446]

Playing well at basketball takes a lot of things.. but for those who perform great, realize it’s a show and they love performing.

Relax, see the game, let it come to you and play your role with great confidence and realize every missed shot is just part of the performance.
Bird, Magic, Jordan, Curry- are the standard
Every game is a stage play, and you have to bring it .. Toppin seems to play worried, plays hard, but not with a lot of freedom.
Maybe he needs to go back and watch a Marshall Henderson tape= he’s the extreme.. )

Wow!

 

[BlueSince92]

Toppin is trying to transform from a spunky energy boost to a killer. That’s a lot of change. A lot of decent observations here about how he needs to change his game and focus. But I’ve got no problem with him taking a while to do it. He may very well already be taking all your advice in his head but getting that into muscle memory is another story. Long as he’s starting to feel comfortable by conference play we’re golden.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

Always the same posters playing devil’s advocate 😂

 

[CalCat57]

Playing well at basketball takes a lot of things.. but for those who perform great, realize it’s a show and they love performing.

Relax, see the game, let it come to you and play your role with great confidence and realize every missed shot is just part of the performance.
Bird, Magic, Jordan, Curry- are the standard
Every game is a stage play, and you have to bring it .. Toppin seems to play worried, plays hard, but not with a lot of freedom.
Maybe he needs to go back and watch a Marshall Henderson tape= he’s the extreme.. )

He is what he is. People are expecting way too much.

 

[fastpaste101]

He needs to stop with the fade away jumpers. Either square up and shoot it or drive and dunk it.

 

[yoshukai]

IMO, he needs less showtime, and more just make the shot or smart play. The effort is there. Just needs to finish.

It does seem that he believes you get more points for degree of difficulty.

 

[Gus Polinski]

UK fans need to accept that Toppin is not a very skilled basketball player. He just a great athlete.

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

He looks overconfident in his own shot. Lacks good form, balance, etc.

 

[kyjeff1]

I think he believes he needs to be the guy on the court that takes over, maybe Cal told him he needs to be a leader and he's taking it too far. He just needs to play within himself and show toughness. The younger players need Toppin to show them how to man up in tough environments and situations. That’s where his true leadership capabilities will come in.
If he watched the tape of these first two games, he's seen the difference between team ball and the times he tried to do too much and tried to make the hardest shot possible.
I believe he will figure it out eventually, he just needs to play through it and if he starts playing me-ball, there are 3 or 4 guys that can come in and do it the right way.

 

[The_Answer1313]

I'm hoping it's just a guy thinking "well Oscar is out I need to step it up" and he's trying to do too much.

In other words, maybe he's better once Oscar comes back and he accepts his role in all of this. Toppin can still be important for us in this season.

 

[BlueThunderstruck]

We’ve only played TWO games. LOL. Let’s see how the season goes for Toppin before he’s declared a bust or overrated. He’s one of the keys to the success of this season. And yes, if he’s pressing and thinking he needs to impress scouts and be the man, that’s the wrong attitude to have. I said IF. I have no idea if that’s his mindset.

 

[UK-chulo]

It does seem that he believes you get more points for degree of difficulty.

He’s auditioning

 

[Smashcat]

Should be interesting:
POWER FORWARD matchup:

The summer “buzz” around UK’s Jacob Toppin (11.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.0 steals) was that the 6-9, 205-pound Brooklyn, N.Y., product was sitting on a big senior season. Through Kentucky’s two season-opening wins over Howard and Duquesne, Toppin may be pressing in trying to live up to his preseason hype — he has made only nine of 24 shots, one of three three-pointers. As the Cats take a big step up in competition vs. MSU, John Calipari and Co. will need a more efficient offensive showing from Toppin.

Michigan State senior Joey Hauser (10 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 35.3% FGs) had a nightmare in MSU’s loss to Gonzaga. The 6-9, 220-pound graduate student from Stevens Point, Wis., fouled out in 19 minutes after missing all five of his shot attempts, turning the ball over three times and finishing with two points and one rebound. The Marquette transfer’s performance in Michigan State’s season-opening 73-55 victory over Northern Arizona was more aligned with expectations for his play this season — 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Advantage: Even.

Read more at: https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mark-story/article268714217.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Cawood86]

Hope Toppin just plays and not try to make a splash.