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They say the NBA season — even a shortened 72-game campaign — is a marathon. Obi Toppin has to hope his record-setting conditioning pays off in his rookie season.

Toppin, the eighth pick in the draft last month, revealed he scored the highest in the franchise’s conditioning test, which is believed to consist of mostly running drills.

Apparently, the 6-foot-9 Dayton dunk machine didn’t need a summer league and its practices to get in great shape.

“I feel like the moment I stepped into this facility, [assistant coach] Kenny Payne’s been preparing me for the games coming up,’’ Toppin said on a Zoom call Thursday. “I feel like me being who I am, me wanting to grind, me wanting to always win, I just feel like I always put in the work to. When conditioning time comes up, it’s like I’m automatically ready for it.

“When I go out there, I try my best to have the highest score. I always ask what the highest score is so I can beat it. We had a conditioning test, and I asked what the highest score was, and I had to beat it. I believe I’m the highest person in the conditioning test.”

Great conditioning doesn’t necessarily mean Toppin will shine his rookie year, but it often is a major issue with first-year players making the jump to the NBA. But Toppin is 22 and probably has a leg up on some of the 19-year-olds in this rookie class.

Toppin’s defense has been a concern among scouts and probably the major reason he slipped all the way to No. 8. But with Tom Thibodeau on top of the situation, Toppin isn’t worried — and even thinks it’s an underrated facet of his game.

“I feel like with my athletic ability, my speed, the way I move my body, I understand my body, and I understand the things I need to do to get better and to take my game to another level so I’m locked in,’’ Toppin said. “I’m at another level, I’m not in college anymore, and I’m locked into what I have to do to be great.”

Most mock drafts since August figured Toppin was headed to the Cavaliers at No. 5, with the franchise keeping him in Ohio, where he starred for Dayton.

MSG Network’s Wally Szczerbiak told The Post the Knicks are “very lucky’’ Toppin fell to No. 8.

“During draft night, I knew there was a chance that I might get picked up by anybody,’’ Toppin said when asked if he thought he was Cleveland-bound. “Me getting picked up by New York, it was a blessing. I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love where I’m at right now. I’m home. I’m with a good group of guys, good group of teammates, everybody who is in the office. Everybody here is amazing, and I’m glad I’m where I’m at.’’

Toppin told The Post’s Steve Serby he felt he had a solid chance at rookie of the year, and other NBA pontificators agree he’s more ready than most rookies. But Thursday he said he didn’t want to dwell on it.

“It’s definitely a blessing that people are saying that, but at the end of the day, I take it day by day,’’ he said. “Hopefully at the end of the day, I achieve all of those goals, but I’m not going to be able to do it without the guys around me.” 

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