Jacob Toppin singles out Kentucky basketball practice standouts

Who is looking the part in practice for Kentucky basketball this summer at the Joe Craft Center? Let senior forward Jacob Toppin tell you.

After a full month of scrimmages and workouts in Lexington, Toppin was quick to single out one newcomer as a player who has surprised him during their time together on the floor. Making the jump from Illinois State to Kentucky, guard transfer Antonio Reeves has adjusted quickly, emerging as a standout shooter and scorer.

“Antonio Reeves, he can shoot lights out,” Toppin told KSR in an exclusive interview on the Sources Say Podcast this week. “He can shoot very well, and that definitely surprised me. I didn’t think he could shoot that well, but he did score, what, like 1,600 points in his college career? So he’s definitely a scorer, and that’s definitely surprised me.”

Elsewhere, Kentucky’s five-star freshmen Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston have turned Toppin’s head. For the former, it’s his production on both ends of the floor, while the latter continues to put in the work necessary to make an early impact.

“Cason has surprised me, he’s really good,” Toppin told KSR. “Not just offensively, but on the defensive end, he’s gonna definitely be a disruptor. But someone that really stands out to me is probably Chris — he lives in the gym. He’s always in the gym, getting up shots on the gun, working out with somebody. He’s always trying to get better. Even in practice, he’s always asking questions, trying to understand things so he won’t fall back on the train. He’s definitely someone who’s surprised me the most.”

Reeves, Wallace and Livingston have been regularly discussed as names to keep a close eye on this summer, early standouts since arriving on campus. Also included in that bunch? Jacob Toppin himself, with growing whispers that the 6-foot-10 forward is primed for a breakout season in Lexington.

What does Toppin have to say about the rumblings and hype? “It’s all poison.”

That’s not to say he’s not working toward a major senior-year jump — he’s just ignoring the noise that comes with it.

“I’m really not worried about any outside noise, it’s all poison. It’s just me, keeping my head down,” Toppin told KSR. “I’ve been in the gym, living in the gym, working out however many times I need to build that confidence. Consistency is key, so if I’m consistent in the gym, working on my craft, getting better whether it’s shooting, dribbling, playing defense, whatever it is, I’m going to do it. I’m gonna get better.”

With the extra time in the gym has come a burst of confidence unlike anything he’s experienced during his time in Lexington. Admittedly, that has him excited for the 2022-23 season.

“I’ve been doing that since the season ended and my confidence is through the roof right now,” he said. “I’m excited to see what I can do on the court.”