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02-02-2019, 10:53 PM
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I'm convinced Giannis has a clone
For those who may not know, after every game there is a YouTube highlight of the game posted soon after the conclusion. Watching Obi perform in that highlight, I am convinced that the star-in-development is not Kostas, but clearly Obadiah Antetokounmpo. If the draft was tomorrow he would be mid-second round.
Yes, he is raw. Yes, he needs development in technique. Add whatever caveat you choose right here......blah, blah..defense..blah...
He moves like the 6'2" point guard he once was. Has the touch and skills beyond his years.
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02-02-2019, 11:06 PM
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Just want him to continue to improve and be “in development” and not be deemed “ready” for a couple more years.
Want to see him in a Flyer uniform and not an NBA uniform for a couple more years.
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02-03-2019, 07:37 AM
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Colonel
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Based on my own observations and nothing else, it seems like Obi has been and is, much more engaged in the team than Kostas was. He also seems to be having fun! I am confident that having coaches who have coached in the NBA, and having the player connections in the league he already has he won’t go before he is ready. With that said, I’ll never fault a kid for leaving Dayton if there are millions of dollars on the table, (i.e. if he is a projected first rounder).
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02-03-2019, 07:51 AM
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General
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I commented on another post that if he remains with the team he has a good shot at becoming UD's first All-American since Jim Paxson. Obi is "blowing up" before our very eyes. We lost a lot of games last year when teams packed it in on Josh and the team had no answer. Now the team has an answer - Obi Toppin. And folks, he will be better by the end of this season and next year, if he stays, he will be lights out!
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02-03-2019, 08:07 AM
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General
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I texted columbiablue after the game that if he averages 17 per game in A10 play there's a chance he'll get serious interest by the end of the season. Other than the talk about how he needs to "develop" his jump shot ( ), his workout will look great to NBA execs.
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02-03-2019, 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Flyers98
Based on my own observations and nothing else, it seems like Obi has been and is, much more engaged in the team than Kostas was. He also seems to be having fun! I am confident that having coaches who have coached in the NBA, and having the player connections in the league he already has he won’t go before he is ready. With that said, I’ll never fault a kid for leaving Dayton if there are millions of dollars on the table, (i.e. if he is a projected first rounder).
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I like Kostas. But he entered the NCAA/Dayton feeling "entitled". Not enough "give" and too much "go". Too much unearned notoriety. Obi is humble and as you say, is having fun. A star-in-progress.
Obi is lucky he has young teammates who know how and when to get the ball to him to take best advantage of his abundant athleticism.
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02-03-2019, 05:12 PM
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Obi is scaring me to death. He has improved so much in the last several games, that if you project more improvement over the remaining ten games, he is easily a second round pick. Obi will have to decide if he stays or goes, but no doubt how we all feel.
His speed and footwork yesterday were excellent. He is getting some great coaching.
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02-03-2019, 08:31 PM
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Colonel
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If Kostas went in the second round, I am afraid Obi is out of here. Good for him. Too bad for us.
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02-03-2019, 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Piqua Flyer '66
If Kostas went in the second round, I am afraid Obi is out of here. Good for him. Too bad for us.
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But Obi's last name is Toppin.
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02-03-2019, 10:12 PM
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Obi isn't going anywhere yet.
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02-04-2019, 08:28 AM
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Major General
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He ain't going anywhere yet, imo. Love the kid but he's going against nobody with any size yet. Let's see him go against some guys either his length or with some real girth/size before we kiss him farewell. He's also got to show a mid-range shot..
Difference between him and the Greek freak 2.0 is that the Greek freak 2.0 looked very much like his big brother when his big bro came into the league at 19 years old so they're hoping to god that 2.0 takes the route his bro did and mirrors him..DNA came into play..
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02-04-2019, 08:41 AM
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Major General
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The comparisons are few...in both talent and as a teammate. I doubt you would've heard the "whatever coach wants me to do" comment from Kostas. I have to wonder if Obi wasn't dominating Kostas in practice last year. Kostas may have found himself backing up Obi had he stayed.
Kostas is getting what he thinks he deserves.
We're fortunate that we get to enjoy Obi and it appears the feeling is mutual.
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02-04-2019, 09:43 AM
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I love Obi, love how he's developed, love hows he's shown an awesome, back to the basket, low post game the last 2 games; something I wasn't sure he had in him, love his attitude.
However, until he improves his handle, he's no where near the conversation with Giannis. Obi handles it well enough for a 6'10" dude, but there is a reason Durant and Giannis are considered freaks, dudes that big shouldn't be able to handle the rock the way they do. Obi improves on that aspect, and well the sky is the limit. The other area of his game that we needs to work on is his off the ball rim protection. Transitioning from the 6'5" dude that he was a few years ago into a 6'10" dude meant that he probably never was the "rim protector" that he has the athleticism to become, especially at this level. Big Steve was great at that, but I imagine it takes practice and Big Steve was always big so he was used to coming off the ball to block someone's layups. Obi isn't terrible in this aspect, not by any means, but he could definitely improve.
Lets hope he does the improvement while still at UD
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02-04-2019, 10:55 AM
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General
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Originally Posted by Medford
I love Obi, love how he's developed, love hows he's shown an awesome, back to the basket, low post game the last 2 games; something I wasn't sure he had in him, love his attitude.
However, until he improves his handle, he's no where near the conversation with Giannis. Obi handles it well enough for a 6'10" dude, but there is a reason Durant and Giannis are considered freaks, dudes that big shouldn't be able to handle the rock the way they do. Obi improves on that aspect, and well the sky is the limit.
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What you state is true, but, I think the point is more comparing him to the marginal NBA bench player not 2 of the top players in the world.
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02-04-2019, 11:09 AM
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General of the Air Force
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Originally Posted by jack72
Obi is scaring me to death. He has improved so much in the last several games, that if you project more improvement over the remaining ten games, he is easily a second round pick. Obi will have to decide if he stays or goes, but no doubt how we all feel.
His speed and footwork yesterday were excellent. He is getting some great coaching.
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Let’s not get to far ahead of ourselves. Even if he were to be projected as a second round pick (which I highly doubt) he’d be a Developmental league player and struggling to make the league. He’d be crazy to do that.
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02-04-2019, 05:11 PM
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Comparing Obi to some NBA starters (not all-stars) is still not a level playing field. Comparing him to them when they were his age is reasonable. Giannis had very pedestrian stats his first year in the second tier Greek League. When he hit the US courts, his improvement was meteoric.
Obi has that potential. I don't know what his real height is, but to me he plays like 6'10".
He has point guard athleticism. Looks like he could put on muscle.
I'll make a prediction that he is drafted at the end of his Sophomore year. And I was right about Kostas.
Last edited by San Diego Flyer; 02-04-2019 at 05:14 PM..
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