Chicago Bulls NBA Draft: These prospects needed March Madness

Power Forward Obi Toppin, Dayton

Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Dayton had a magical season, but they play in a fairly weak conference in the Atlantic 10. Stud big man Obi Toppin was one of the biggest reasons for Dayton’s success this year.

Toppin put up 20.0 points, 7.5 boards, 2.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game this season. He did absolutely everything you want to see from a kid in a weaker conference in order to place himself in the upper echelon of the draft class.

The only thing missing? An electrifying tournament performance. Should Toppin had gotten the opportunity to put his talents on display, across a national stage and against some of the best teams in the country, he could have elevated his draft stock even more.

Toppin projects mainly as a stretch four; maybe a bit undersized at 6-foot-9. But, his offensive game is certainly there and has a lot to like. He shot over 63 percent from the field this year, and over 70 percent on two-point attempts.

The defensive end is the one place he could have used some more time to shine, and the tournament would have been a perfect stage for that. Right now, Toppin projects as a lottery pick in most eyes, but could find himself anywhere from pick no. 7 to the mid-teens.