Cody Toppert

Cody Arlyn Toppert (born January 10, 1983) is a former American professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team in the American Athletic Conference. At 6'4" (194 cm), he was a left-handed guard who was a strong outside shooter and quick enough to drive past defenders and finish in the lane.

Cody Toppert
Memphis Tigers
PositionAssistant coach
LeagueThe American
Personal information
Born (1983-01-10) January 10, 1983
Albuquerque, New Mexico
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High schoolAlbuquerque Academy
(Albuquerque, New Mexico)
CollegeCornell (2001–2005)
NBA draft2005 / Undrafted
Playing career2005–2012
PositionShooting guard
Coaching career2008–present
Career history
As player:
2005–2006Albuquerque Thunderbirds
2006Taranaki Mountainairs
2006–2007FC Barreirense
2007–2008CSKA Sofia
2008Great Falls Explorers
2009–2010BG Göttingen
2009–2010Plymouth Raiders
2009–2011Fulgor Libertas Forlì
2011–2012Ourense Baloncesto
2012Bàsquet Mallorca
As coach:
2008–2009Scottsdale Christian Academy (assistant)
2015–2017Rio Grande Valley Vipers (assistant)
2017–2018Northern Arizona Suns
2018–2019Phoenix Suns (assistant)
2019–presentMemphis (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
As player

High school career

Toppert was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and attended the Albuquerque Academy (1998–2001), where he was a two-time USA Today All-American. He was named New Mexico's 2001 Player of the Year, while earning first team all-city, district, and state honors, while twice being named the District Most Valuable Player. During his varsity career, Toppert was invited to play in the Adidas ABCD Camp and was named the top shooting guard at the Five-Star Basketball Camp. Toppert's father, Bob, mother, Linda, and brother, Chad, all played basketball for the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.[1]

College career

Toppert went on to star at Cornell University (2001–2005) where he was a four-year starter under coach Steve Donahue. Toppert was instrumental in laying the foundation for a program that had won just five games the year before he arrived to their eventual berth in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. He finished his college career as 9th all-time at Cornell in career scoring with 1,232 points, second in career three-pointers made (237) behind Ryan Wittman, and second in all-time games played (108). Toppert is sixth in Ivy League history in total three-point field goals made.

Professional career

Upon graduation in 2005, Toppert became the first ever player allocated to the NBDL's Albuquerque Thunderbirds, coached by former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Michael Cooper. In his first season, Toppert helped guide the Thunderbirds to their first ever D-League championship. Following his success, Toppert chose to play overseas, where he played in New Zealand for the Taranaki Mountain Airs, leading the league in scoring at 22.1 points per game. He then moved on to Europe, playing in Portugal for FC Barreirense, where he averaged 12.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game, carrying his club to their first ever appearance in the Cup of Portugal's final four. Toppert also led the organization to its first ever appearance in the final eight of the Taca De Liga Cofidis.

Toppert played the 2007–08 season for the Great Falls Explorers of the CBA under former NBA All-Star Scott Wedman. He averaged 16ppg, 3rpg, 3apg and 1.5spg, and was three times named to the honor roll for CBA Player of the Week. In 2009, he was signed by MEG Göttingen of the German Basketball Bundesliga. In January 2010 Toppert moved to BC Wiessenhorn in the second-tier Bundesliga, where he averaged 19 points per game, 6.5 rebounds and 2 assists. In summer 2010, he signed for Plymouth Raiders of the British Basketball League.

After one year in England, Toppert signed for Club Ourense Baloncesto of the LEB Plata, Spanish third division.[2]

On February 2012, Toppert signed with Bàsquet Mallorca of LEB Oro, Spanish second division.

Post-playing career

After retiring, Toppert spent two years as the Director of Basketball Development and coach for ELEV|8 Sports Institute in Delray Beach, Fla., where during the offseason he also trained players preparing for the NBA Pre Draft and international play. Additionally, he coached at numerous camps and clinics across the country, including the NBA Pre Draft Combine in 2013 and 2014.[3] For a brief period of time, Toppert was an assistant coach at Scottsdale Christian Academy.

On October 14, 2015, Toppert was hired by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers as an assistant coach.[3]

On November 2, 2017, Toppert was named head coach of the Northern Arizona Suns, shortly before the start of their first season in the NBA G League.[4] In his official G League coaching debut, the Suns lost to the Agua Caliente Clippers, 126–118.[5] However, during his tenure, he managed to have five Northern Arizona Suns players the chance to enter the NBA (again), three of which being promotions to the Phoenix Suns. He was promoted to an assistant coaching position with the Phoenix Suns after one season with Northern Arizona.[6] However, after putting up a 19–63 record up in Phoenix under head coach Igor Kokoškov, he was fired alongside the rest of the coaching staff on April 23, 2019.[7]

On June 10, 2019, Toppert was added as an assistant coach on the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team, replacing Sam Mitchell on head coach Penny Hardaway's staff.[8]

On June 26, 2020, Toppert was announced as the head coach of Eberlein Drive in The Basketball Tournament 2020. [9]

References
  1. Kevin Hendricks, Toppert brothers eager for NBADL meeting, Albuquerque Journal, December 3, 2015.
  2. (in Spanish) El hermano del jugador del Cai Zaragoza Chad Toppert perseguirá el ascenso en las filas de Ourense by Solobasket.com
  3. "RGV Vipers Add Blair and Toppert to Coaching Staff". OurSportsCentral.com. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  4. Jacob Withee (November 4, 2017). "Cody Toppert Named New Head Coach of Northern Arizona Suns". NBA G League.
  5. Clippers Pick Up First Win In Shootout, Spoil Suns’ Opener, gleague.nba.com, November 4, 2017
  6. "NAZ Suns' coach Cody Toppert joins Phoenix staff as assistant under Kokoskov". The Daily Courier. June 22, 2018.
  7. Phoenix Suns fire assistants after dismissing Igor Kokoskov
  8. "Hardaway adds ex-Suns assistant Toppert to Memphis' staff". Archived from the original on 2019-06-11. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  9. "https://twitter.com/eberleindrive/status/1276649047672135680". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-06-27. External link in |title= (help)
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