Lancers’ Joplin takes his game to a higher level
David Joplin is one of the area's highest-flying dunkers and asserts he still has unseen jams in his arsenal.
“The tomahawk (dunk) is like my little signature, but I'm looking forward to getting a windmill one of these games,” he says. “I've got a 360 in there, too. I'm going to get them. They're coming.”
Joplin's voice leaves no doubt he's going to display those dunks, inflecting the the same level of confidence the Brookfield Central junior forward has been playing with for nearly the last year.
That switch flipped 19 games ago for Joplin in Brookfield Central's playoff opener in the regional semifinals against Fond du Lac, just one week after the Lancers had to kick leading scorer Gage Malensek off the team.
“When that whole situation came up, when the playoffs came I thought I had to become a bigger contributor, take on a bigger role and get more buckets, I guess,” Joplin said.
Previously, Joplin had been comfortable in his role as the third option on the Lancers offense, scoring 15 points per game over a 14-game stretch heading into the playoffs. But once the ball tipped off in the postseason, Joplin found another gear, averaging 19.7 points on 58.1% shooting and 9.9 rebounds per game as Central stormed through the state's most grueling sectional to win its first state title.
“I think he's taken over and that wasn't necessarily his style before the playoffs last year,” Lancers head coach Dan Wandrey said.
While Joplin is averaging 21 points and 9.5 rebounds per game this year and has a 41-point game, he will tell you that his best game also came in the biggest game he's played in: the 2019 Division 1 state final against Sun Prairie. That night, Joplin was in command without ever hijacking the Lancers' offensive flow as they defeated the Cardinals, 69-52. Joplin finished 7 of 10 from the field and 9 of 10 on free throws
as he scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
“I remember that game like it was yesterday,” Joplin said. “I remember always looking up at the big jumbotron and seeing what I was at. My dad recorded the game and I’ve watched it probably like 10 times ever since then.”
Joplin is quick to credit the captain of last year’s team, current Hillsdale College point guard Cole Nau, for his transition from a gifted young player with a complete skill set to someone who can take command of the game for his team.
“He talks about the influence that Cole had on him in terms of his approach to the game,” Wandrey said. “With Cole, he was wise beyond his years and he provided David with that confidence and instilling confidence in him and pushing him to be that guy.”
Many of those lessons have come into play this year, especially, as the 6foot-7 Joplin spends time at point guard for Central’s offense. While fellow junior and Division I recruit Ben Nau often takes care of the primary ball-handling duties, putting the ball in Joplin’s hands can open up different possibilities on offense.
“It just gave us a new look,” Joplin said. “If feel like if I’m running the point and (center Eric Radisevic) and (forward) Malik (Abdul-Wahid) and Ben and everyone is freed up, we can get easier buckets. I’m definitely comfortable playing any position they’re asking me to.”
Joplin worked the most this off-season on his dribbling and shooting, the latter of which has helped him make more three-pointers (17) than he did all of last season (16) at a respectable 33.3% clip. Defenders aren’t sagging off Joplin as much, which has freed up driving lines to either score or find an open sharpshooter such as Nau or sophomore Andrew Rohde.
“That’s what makes him the best possible player, is that versatility,” Wandrey said. “He can go inside and score, he can shoot it now, he’s driving it, so it makes him hard to guard.”
It isn’t just Joplin’s offense that sets him apart.
His size and strength allow him to match up with opponents’ bigs in the post, but with the 6-9 Radisevic and 6-6 Abdul-Wahid also on the team, Wandrey will often use Joplin to guard the biggest offensive threat.
He’s been at his best on that side of the ball at various times this year.
Against Arrowhead, Joplin switched onto senior forward and Wisconsin recruit Carter Gilmore at halftime and he scored just eight points after dropping 21 in the first half.
He then played a major role in limiting Sussex Hamilton forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. to just five points in the second half as the Lancers knocked off the top-ranked Chargers this month.
“He’s a really good on-the-ball defender,” Wandrey said. “When you put a 6-7 guy out there with a huge amount of athleticism and really long arms, he just affects the game.”
Joplin holds five scholarship offers, from DePaul, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, UNLV and Valparaiso. He’s also visited Loyola (Chicago), and Butler has been coming on heavily lately.
Joplin surpassed 1,000 points in a win over Menomonee Falls on Friday and has a realistic shot at surpassing guard Riley LaChance’s school scoring record next year. He is almost a lock for the all-state team this year and already was the game’s highest scorer in Central’s state title victory.
There’s a chance he could wind up having the best career of any Lancers basketball player.
But, first, he just wants to finally throw down a windmill.