Is Obi Toppin ready for the NBA? His parents say yes

The interview was taped before the postseason. The Currys asked Roni Toppin and Obadiah Toppin if they thought their son was ready for the NBA.

“Yes, he is ready,” Roni said.

Obadiah also answered yes, but said he was nervous about things his son will have to deal with off the court.

“I feel like he could play on any NBA team,” he said. “On the court, I’m not worried. I’m worried about off the court. It’s how he handle the pressures off the court.”

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Toppin has not made an official announcement about whether he'll leave Dayton for the NBA, but he's expected to turn pro. That's another reason the cancellation of the NCAA tournament hurt so much for the Flyers and their fans. As Roni said after the news broke Thursday, it was Obi's chance to show the world on the biggest stage what he could do.

Even without that opportunity, however, Toppin did plenty in his two seasons on the court with Dayton, especially this season, to prove he can play at the next level. He is projected to be a lottery pick by most experts. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony predicted Toppin would be drafted ninth in the first round in his latest mock draft in February.

While Toppin, 22, played only two seasons at Dayton, he spent three years at the university and also spent a year at Mount Zion Prep after graduating from high school. Roni looked back on his recruitment during the podcast interview, saying for her it was a toss-up between Dayton and Rhode Island. Obi liked Dayton the best.

» FAN REACTION: Flyer Faithful ‘beyond bummed’

“We got off the plane (in Dayton), and someone said, ‘You need to come play here. Can I take a picture with you?’” she said. “People were introducing themselves to us in the airport and taking pictures with Obi and were so excited. They didn’t know who he was. He was in prep school. They were just excited to have him. We had such a good visit. It was comfortable. He loved it.”

Roni also praised Dayton coach Anthony Grant for the job he did molding her son into a national player of the year candidate.

“Obi needed him,” Roni said. “The structure, the discipline, that’s exactly what Obi needed. That helped to form him into who he is.”