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Obi Toppin and the Alignment of Timing in the NBA
The former lottery pick is out of New York and is now a Pacer. And for the first time in his career, is in the right situation at the right time
In the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Robin Scherbatsky (played by Cobie Smulders) has a line about relationships. She says to Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor):
“If you have chemistry, you only need one other thing…timing. But timing’s a bitch.”
The line applies to many things outside of romantic relationships and drives home a key point that nothing great is achieved without a little bit of fortunate timing. This is the case in our personal relationships but also applicable for our favorite players when they get drafted. Where you land matters in the sense of the opportunities that you will be given and the chance you have to show that you are elite at your position.
I thought about this after the New York Knicks traded away former #8 overall pick Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for two future second round picks. It was a necessary reset button for Toppin, who is closing in on a rookie extension that he simply was not going to get in New York City. It is the latest example of how timing has been an obstacle for the forward, as he looks to jumpstart his career with a new team.
