The NCAA Tournament may have been canceled, but that didn't stop Dayton's Obi Toppin from leaving his standout season with some hardware.
On Friday, the Flyers' sophomore forward was named the 2020 Naismith Player of the Year, which is awarded annually the college basketball's top player.
Appearing in 31 games of what marked his redshirt sophomore season, the 6-foot-9 Toppin averaged 20.0 points on 63.3 percent shooting and 7.5 rebounds while leading Dayton to a 29-2 regular-season record. Entering the Atlantic 10 Tournament, the Flyers ranked as the nation's No. 3 team and were expected to be a No. 1 seed in the 2020 NCAA Tournament.
Both the A10 Tournament, as well as the NCAA Tournament, however, were ultimately canceled as the result of concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19). That brought an end to Toppin's collegiate career, as the Brooklyn, New York, native has since declared for the 2020 NBA Draft, where he is expected to be a lottery pick.
"A late bloomer, Toppin emerged as one of the most productive and exciting players in all of college basketball, crashing the lottery with his high-flying dunks and deep 3s during the Maui Invitational," ESPN NBA Draft analyst Mike Schmitz writes of Toppin. "As the best player on a Dayton team that seemed poised for a Final Four run, the ultraproductive Toppin has one of the most complete resumes of any player projected in the top 10. It's easy to envision him having a role in the NBA immediately."
Toppin, who has also been named the AP National Player of the Year, NABC Player of the Year and recipient of the Oscar Robertson Trophy, is the first player in Dayton history to win the Naismith Trophy. Dayton head coach Anthony Grant has also been named the Naismith College Coach of the Year and AP National Coach of the Year.