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Robert Upshaw, 7’0″, Center, 21 years old, Washington Huskies
Robert Upshaw has a very, very raw offensive game for a big man. Standing at seven feet, he has never had to really develop one. That said, he is big. Not in an out-of-shape way, but he has wide shoulders and long arms that allow him to finish around the basket, which is his strong suit offensively. Upshaw isn’t very fast when running the floor, but he doesn’t plod either; he can get down the floor against slower centers. Once he catches in the post, he is very patient when putting the ball up. He finishes really well, dunking whenever he can. He will probably never be a guy you throw the ball in the post to for a bucket, but teams will know that going in. Upshaw could become a very good pick and roll player in time because of the finishing ability he possesses. Kept offensive possessions alive with his offensive rebounding. Doesn’t have a jumpshot at all, and won’t handle the ball. He is a true defensive center.
Like previously stated, Upshaw is a true defensive center. He takes up a lot of space — Washington even played a lot of zone with him anchoring the middle — on the basketball court, and is an intimidating presence for guards of the opposing team looking for driving lanes. He made up for a lot of mistakes made by Washington’s guards; the Huskies defense was much worse after Upshaw’s dismissal. His shot blocking numbers — 4.5 per game — are impossible to miss. Admittedly, most of those blocks came against much less-athletic teams in the non-conference portion of Washington’s schedule. That said, he shows good instincts blocking the ball. Upshaw rebounded the ball very well, muscling the ball away from opponents if he get at least a hand on it. He will have to gain some more lower-body strength in the NBA; college big men would bury him with ease because of his lack of recognition that he was being posted up. He would bail himself out with a blocked shot, but that won’t happen in the NBA. He would increase his chance to play exponentially if he become quicker laterally, so he could guard on the perimeter. With all the “small-ball” lineups succeeding in the modern league, athletic centers like Upshaw can’t be slow on the perimeter.
Upshaw is your classic high risk, high reward draft prospect. He has a big ceiling, but an even lower floor. His ultimate potential is being a high-caliber defensive anchor. It would be hard for Upshaw to reach All-Star status, but certainly possible if he can put up big enough numbers on the defensive end. He will most likely settle in as a quality backup center, if he doesn’t get in his own way.
Upshaw’s main strength will be his instincts. He uses them primarily on the defensive end of the ball, where he sizes up defenders for blocks and rebounds. His weakness will lie in his inability to create anything on the offensive block. This won’t completely derail his career, and it can be learned, but it could really cut into any playing time he is fighting for.
Upshaw’s pro comparison is former Milwaukee Bucks’ center Larry Sanders. Both players have great shot blocking skills and tremendous length. They both rebound the ball really well, too. Sanders’ best season saw him average about nine points and nine rebounds per game, numbers that we could see Upshaw reach. Sanders also blocked 2.8 shots per game that year. Unfortunately, both players also come with red flags to their organization. Upshaw still has the chance to prove those red flags wrong, though.
As for being NBA ready, Upshaw is still a mystery. He is labeled as “immature” among NBA guys, so it’s tough to determine if Upshaw will be mentally ready for the league. He will be very raw at both ends to begin, but teams will be drafting him on his potential. There won’t be any pressure on Upshaw to perform right away, which is probably best for him.
