Continuing to strengthen: Hapoel Tel Aviv signed Jacob Toppin for 3 years
The Reds added the guard who played for the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks and averaged 19.2 points in the G-League. He will begin the process of obtaining citizenship due to his Jewish roots. After the signing, he said: "I heard a lot about the club"
Hapoel Tel Aviv continues its preparations for the upcoming season, signing Jacob Toppin to a three-year contract on Wednesday. This marks Toppin's first stint in Europe following three years of moving between the NBA and the G-League.
Throughout his NBA career, the 26-year-old (2.06 m) recorded 31 appearances for the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks, averaging 1.4 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game, while shooting 51.2% from two and 42.9% from three. After four years in college, Toppin went undrafted in 2023 but signed with the New York Knicks, progressing through the club's G-League team. In 73 G-League games, Toppin posted impressive averages of 19.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, with 55.7% from two and 78.2% from the free-throw line.
Hapoel Tel Aviv will work to obtain Israeli citizenship for Toppin due to his Jewish roots, allowing him to be registered for local competitions as an Israeli player.
"I am very excited to sign with Hapoel and I am already waiting to start competing together with my teammates. I look forward to meeting the fans, the players, and the coaches. I have heard a lot about the club and I am eager to experience the culture and work hard to compete in all competitions and win a championship," Toppin said following the signing.
Sports Director George Chinas noted: "We continue to strengthen our Israeli core. Jacob is an athletic player capable of playing multiple positions, possessing shooting ability and a hunger to win titles in the country of his roots. We welcome him to our family."
Head coach Dimitris Itoudis added: "I spoke with Jacob, and he is very committed to helping us reach new heights. He is aware of the level of these leagues and their toughness, and I welcome him to our family."
