Weaknesses:
Upshaw said all the right things at the draft combine…but was he saying them because he truly meant them, or just because they would help him get drafted? That is the question most front offices will have to weigh when the Robert Upshaw discussion comes up.
On the one hand, the physical gifts are obviously there. This kid is talented and has the tools the become a marquee defensive anchor. But which team will be willing to take a flyer on a guy who was dismissed from two college teams over a span of three years because of drug use?
I’m not here to get into an argument about whether or not marijuana should be legal. But if you’re trying to make millions of dollars playing the game of basketball, here’s what you need to know: for all intents and purposes, marijuana is illegal to you. Right or wrong, if you want to play professional basketball, or even collegiate basketball, smoking pot isn’t allowed. Period.
Upshaw had some slight problems with that.
Former Husky, Robert Upshaw, will really have to overcome off-court issues to have any real value in this draft. Background reports matter.
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) May 15, 2015
In 2013, Fresno State let him go due to drug use. Upshaw spent the summer in a Houston treatment program run by former NBA player John Lucas, who also struggled with drug issues during his playing days. Upshaw earned his second chance with the Huskies and under Lorenzo Romar’s stricter regime.
But Upshaw once again failed multiple drug tests and even with his impressive start to the season, he was let go in January. He hasn’t been playing basketball since, choosing to focus on bettering himself as a person and prepare for this moment.
Robert Upshaw said Bill Walton has become a mentor, shared stories about his own struggles and addiction.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) May 15, 2015
The talent is there, but we’ve seen players with off-the-court issues derail their own NBA careers too many times to feel comfortable with Upshaw being a sure-fire lottery pick.
As far as his on-court skills are concerned, we’ve already mentioned that he’s not a great offensive player. He’ll need to develop something of a post game on that end, or he could always just try to become an improved version of DeAndre Jordan: a defensive and rebounding monster who gets most of his points from offensive rebounds and alley-oops out of screen and roll sets.
Speaking of DeAndre Jordan, Robert Upshaw is a similarly appalling free throw shooter, converting only 43.4 percent of his attempts from the foul line with the Huskies.
Next: Potential Fit