Maybe it’s best to start by clearing this up: JT Toppin isn’t related to NBA players Obi and Jacob Toppin. The shared last name and love for basketball are just a coincidence. What’s interesting, though, is that basketball wasn’t his first sport. He played football before he ever fell for the game, and watching players attack the rim alongside his grandparents is what flipped the switch.

From there, his size and competitive nature made it obvious basketball was his future. And even though Texas is far more known for football, one seems to find their way, as Toppin did with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, right at home.

Where is JT Toppin from, and What is JT Toppin’s Nationality?

JT Toppin was born in Dallas, Texas, on the 14th of June 2005, and is presently 20 years old. JT, whose full name is Jayden, was born to Naomi Toppin and has three siblings. He went to school at Oak Cliff’s Faith Family Academy and excelled at basketball during his high school years. He is a hardcore Texan and an American by nationality.

As a freshman at New Mexico, Toppin put together an impressive season, averaging 12.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, which earned him Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors. After that breakout year, he entered the transfer portal and declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, even earning an invitation to participate in the NBA Draft Combine. In the end, he chose to withdraw from the draft and committed to transferring to Texas Tech to suit up for the Red Raiders.

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That decision paid off immediately. In his first season at Texas Tech, Toppin emerged as one of the best players in the country, earning consensus second-team All-American recognition along with Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, and All-Big 12 First Team honors. Heading into the 2025–26 season, he was also named to the Naismith Trophy watch list, placing him firmly in the national Player of the Year conversation.

What is JT Toppin’s Ethnicity? 

The specifics of JT Toppin’s ethnicity aren’t publicly known, and his family background remains largely private. What is clear, though, is the role his mother, Naomi, plays in his life. She’s a constant presence, often spotted in the stands cheering him on, and easily ranks as his loudest and most passionate supporter on game day.

Naomi has four children in total, with JT being the oldest. Even without much public detail about the rest of the family, one thing comes through clearly: he has a strong support system behind him.

What is JT Toppin’s Religion?  

Like every other personal aspect of Toppin’s life, his religious affiliations also remain a secret. So, it’s safe to say that the only faith he is practicing right now is the commitment to his game.

And that shows in his relationship with Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland, who has never been shy about praising Toppin for fully buying in and putting the team first.

“In a game that’s open flow like this and you can give him some space, he’s so dynamic but having shooters around him gives him that space that’s why this game is so awesome man. It’s about the team, JT would say it, but what was best about it is he’s getting buckets, but he’s more excited about getting stops at the end of the game,” said McCasland.