Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
After naming his top three on Wednesday, Toppin chose Kentucky over Oregon and Iowa State.
Toppin, who announced his intentions to transfer on Monday, is the younger brother of former Dayton forward and 2020 Naismith Player of the Year Obi Toppin.
Toppin, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 30 games as a freshman at Rhode Island.
He’s the fourth player to leave the program since the end of the season, following freshman forward Mekhi Long, freshman guard Gregory Hammond and sophomore guard Tyrese Martin.
Barring a change to NCAA rules, Toppin will have to sit out the 2020-21 season before having three years of eligibility remaining.
The decision comes one day after Kentucky freshman forward E.J. Montgomery became the fifth Kentucky player to declare for the NBA Draft, joining forward Nick Richards and guards Immanuel Quickley, Ashton Hagans and Tyrese Maxey.
Overall, the Wildcats are expected to lose seven of their top eight players from last season.
Kentucky will bring in the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in 2020, per 247Sports, with five-stars Terrence Clarke, BJ Boston, Devin Askew and four-stars Isaiah Jackson, Lance Ware and Cam’Ron Fletcher.
The Wildcats will also bring in Creighton grad transfer Davion Mintz.
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