Jacob Toppin is ready for what’s ahead with the Hawks

The 25-year-old forward flashed myriad moves in Friday’s game, including patient handles in isolation of the Heat’s Pelle Larsson after a closeout in the corner. With Larsson in front, Toppin posted the Heat defender before spinning and dribbling the ball between his legs to relocate. Toppin then drove toward the paint before stopping to drain a turnaround fadeaway jumper from 14 feet.

“Jacob, just both ends of his development, just keep getting better,” Hawks Summer League coach Bryan Bailey said. “Obviously, his size, his length and ability to shoot the ball. We even saw (Friday) in the game, just in the fourth quarter, he can push the ball. He can dribble. So we got him as a weapon in transition. Just keep developing those things.”

Toppin finished Friday’s Summer League 105-98 win over the Heat with 19 points, 10 rebounds and two assists. He made seven of his 13 field goal attempts.

His opening performance at Summer League on Friday provided flashes of his debut with the Hawks in April. The team signed him to a two-way contract on March 4, just six weeks before the end of the regular season.

The 6-8 forward made his Hawks debut on April 13, scoring a career-high 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor, five of which came from 3.

“I feel like we have mutual interest in that,” Toppin said. “Obviously, on the defensive end, being a menace, being able to guard one of four, um, keeping guys in front and not obviously offensively, being that athletic wing who’s going to run the floor space, make open shots and stuff like that.”

So, coming to a Hawks system that prioritizes finding optimal 3-point opportunities feels like a good place to land for the Brooklyn native.

“It’s great when you have a coach who’s saying, ‘If you’re open, shoot the ball,’” Toppin said. “That instills confidence in you, and you prepare for those moments when you’re in the gym. I’m in the gym every day working on my jump shot, trying to be consistent with that. So it’s a great thing to have a coach who tells you to shoot the ball when you’re open.”

The Hawks extended a qualifying offer to Toppin at the end of June. He signed the offer sheet one day before the team opened Summer League. He will likely spend a lot of time with the College Park Skyhawks, the Hawks’ G League affiliate, this season. But the Hawks can make him active for a maximum of 50 games during the regular season.

When those days come, Toppin will make the most of the opportunity.

“The people in Atlanta are great,” Toppin said. “The organization is great. The people are great. I like it a lot. I like Atlanta. The area is nice, so I’m excited to continue my journey here, continue to work, get better and hopefully get the opportunity to showcase what I can really do with the big team.”