Obi Toppin has become a significantly better player since the Indiana Pacers acquired him from the New York Knicks in 2023. A lot of fans have looked at his three-point improvements, but Toppin's growth as a back-cutter and a defender is what has truly turned him into a valuable player.
In a recent episode of the Game Theory Podcast, Sam Vecenie spoke about Toppin growing as a back-cutter and defender, which has helped him step his game up greatly since joining the Pacers.
"Where I think he's really developed since he got traded from the Knicks to Indiana is he's become a guy that can consistently play the four because he's an aggressive back-cutter and has gotten a little bit better defensively as well," Vecenie said of Obi Toppin.