Sleeper Center: Robert Upshaw

[Smitty77]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/61490/robert-upshaw

Thoughts?

Averaging 4.5 blocks per game against less than stellar competition and is shooting 42% at the FT line.

Smitty77

[The One]

Looks good as far as blocking shots.  I wonder about guarding the pick and rolls.

[Tr1boy]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/61490/robert-upshaw

Thoughts?

Averaging 4.5 blocks per game against less than stellar competition and is shooting 42% at the FT line.

Smitty77

Athletic big man with 7-4 wingspan. Has underrated offensive skills

Danny im sure will keep an eye out for

Rather have upshaw than WCS

[Depalma2002]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/61490/robert-upshaw

Thoughts?

Averaging 4.5 blocks per game against less than stellar competition and is shooting 42% at the FT line.

Smitty77

Athletic big man with 7-4 wingspan. Has underrated offensive skills

Danny im sure will keep an eye out for

Rather have upshaw than WCS

Are you saying you would rather have Upshaw with the Clippers pick than using a top 5-7 pick on WCS or are you saying you would rather have Upshaw than WCS regardless of draft position?

If it's the former, I can see an argument for it. If it is the latter, I'd like to hear more reasoning behind it. Upshaw is rising fast because his defensive potential, but WCS is an elite defensive prospect playing against tougher competition. He has shown he can protect the paint and guard on the perimeter. Fast hands, quick feet, long arms. I just can't see him missing defensively. Offensively, he may never be much beyond dunks and put backs, but he has high potential to be a game changer defensively like Deandre Jordan and Tyson Chandler. While his offensive game makes me hesitant to jump on him at 5-7, I would jump on him without a thought from picks 8 on and probably close my eyes and pick him at #5 as well unless one of the top 3 somehow slip through.

What is it that you see in Upshaw that puts him above Cauley-Stein?

[CFAN38]

Ive wrote a little about him on the "two earlier to talk about the draft" thread.


Having watched a few of his games I personally see him at best as a Brendan Haywood / Greg Ostertag level defensive center. He is really big, I would guess 7' in shoes and over 270lbs with great length. He runs the court well for his size but I would not consider him overly athletic. Probably comparably to Hibbert. He really lacks any type of advanced post game but seems surprisingly comfortable with the ball in his hands on the perimeter. Obviously he really excels as a shot blocker he has great timing and is able to block alot of shots using his length and not jumping. This sets him up for second block opportunities and also helps keep him in rebounding position. His man to man and pick and role D are a concern because Washington primarily seems to stay in a 2-3 Zone. So like Fab Melo the jury is out on how his mobility and skill set will translate to NBA defense.


In terms center prospects after Okafor I would rank him after D Johnson and J Poeltl. I think both Johnson and Poeltl have higher ceilings. Johnson as a post scoring option and Poetlt as a well rounded defender. I do think Upshaw will be a solid pick in the mid to late 20s and could contribute early in his career if he makes an ok transition out of the 2-3.

Okafor
WCS
Poeltl
D Johnson
Upshaw   

[Smitty77]

Ive wrote a little about him on the "two earlier to talk about the draft" thread.


Having watched a few of his games I personally see him at best as a Brendan Haywood / Greg Ostertag level defensive center. He is really big, I would guess 7' in shoes and over 270lbs with great length. He runs the court well for his size but I would not consider him overly athletic. Probably comparably to Hibbert. He really lacks any type of advanced post game but seems surprisingly comfortable with the ball in his hands on the perimeter. Obviously he really excels as a shot blocker he has great timing and is able to block alot of shots using his length and not jumping. This sets him up for second block opportunities and also helps keep him in rebounding position. His man to man and pick and role D are a concern because Washington primarily seems to stay in a 2-3 Zone. So like Fab Melo the jury is out on how his mobility and skill set will translate to NBA defense.


In terms center prospects after Okafor I would rank him after D Johnson and J Poeltl. I think both Johnson and Poeltl have higher ceilings. Johnson as a post scoring option and Poetlt as a well rounded defender. I do think Upshaw will be a solid pick in the mid to late 20s and could contribute early in his career if he makes an ok transition out of the 2-3.

Okafor
WCS
Poeltl
D Johnson
Upshaw

Fantastic info.  Thanks so much!!!!

Smitty77

[Tr1boy]

Ive wrote a little about him on the "two earlier to talk about the draft" thread.


Having watched a few of his games I personally see him at best as a Brendan Haywood / Greg Ostertag level defensive center. He is really big, I would guess 7' in shoes and over 270lbs with great length. He runs the court well for his size but I would not consider him overly athletic. Probably comparably to Hibbert. He really lacks any type of advanced post game but seems surprisingly comfortable with the ball in his hands on the perimeter. Obviously he really excels as a shot blocker he has great timing and is able to block alot of shots using his length and not jumping. This sets him up for second block opportunities and also helps keep him in rebounding position. His man to man and pick and role D are a concern because Washington primarily seems to stay in a 2-3 Zone. So like Fab Melo the jury is out on how his mobility and skill set will translate to NBA defense.


In terms center prospects after Okafor I would rank him after D Johnson and J Poeltl. I think both Johnson and Poeltl have higher ceilings. Johnson as a post scoring option and Poetlt as a well rounded defender. I do think Upshaw will be a solid pick in the mid to late 20s and could contribute early in his career if he makes an ok transition out of the 2-3.

Okafor
WCS
Poeltl
D Johnson
Upshaw

Disagree with some of your points. How do you have poetl and d johnson over upshaw? Yes wingspan ,size, athleticsm do count when it comes to centers. Poetl is an unathletic , weaker version of vucevic.  D johnson has a 7-0 wingspan.  Doesnt bring much skills to the table. Good backup center potential in the NBA.

Upshaw i doubt will turn outl like a dud like melo. Upshaw imo is another Speights without the headache/bad attitude. Look at a mature Speights now and how good he has been for GSW

Upshaw could really climb on draft night if he keeps playing well.  And while WCS specialty mainly is on defense , upshaw is a two way potential. He gets the right guy to refine his game, gains 10 more pounds of strength and he will be a load to deal with in the nba

[Tr1boy]

Size, mobility, above the rim,7-4 wingspan. Shot blocker, decent offensive capability(handles, finish using either hands). Becoming a better rebounder. Upshaw has alot of tools to be a good starting center in the nba

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zfKVm24VQ

[Celtics4ever]

His vertical looks poor. Timing looks great.   I have a different definition of mobility than some here.   I think it means ability to move.

[Yenohb]

A nice read about Upshaw..

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/robert-upshaw-s-long-journey-from-bust-to-budding-stardom-111913064.html

[PickNRoll]

His vertical looks poor. Timing looks great.   I have a different definition of mobility than some here.   I think it means ability to move.

Agree.  I said the same thing in another thread.  This guy is not athletic and he's not mobile.  He's big, granted.

[CFAN38]

Ive wrote a little about him on the "two earlier to talk about the draft" thread.


Having watched a few of his games I personally see him at best as a Brendan Haywood / Greg Ostertag level defensive center. He is really big, I would guess 7' in shoes and over 270lbs with great length. He runs the court well for his size but I would not consider him overly athletic. Probably comparably to Hibbert. He really lacks any type of advanced post game but seems surprisingly comfortable with the ball in his hands on the perimeter. Obviously he really excels as a shot blocker he has great timing and is able to block alot of shots using his length and not jumping. This sets him up for second block opportunities and also helps keep him in rebounding position. His man to man and pick and role D are a concern because Washington primarily seems to stay in a 2-3 Zone. So like Fab Melo the jury is out on how his mobility and skill set will translate to NBA defense.


In terms center prospects after Okafor I would rank him after D Johnson and J Poeltl. I think both Johnson and Poeltl have higher ceilings. Johnson as a post scoring option and Poetlt as a well rounded defender. I do think Upshaw will be a solid pick in the mid to late 20s and could contribute early in his career if he makes an ok transition out of the 2-3.

Okafor
WCS
Poeltl
D Johnson
Upshaw

Disagree with some of your points. How do you have poetl and d johnson over upshaw? Yes wingspan ,size, athleticsm do count when it comes to centers. Poetl is an unathletic , weaker version of vucevic.  D johnson has a 7-0 wingspan.  Doesnt bring much skills to the table. Good backup center potential in the NBA.

Upshaw i doubt will turn outl like a dud like melo. Upshaw imo is another Speights without the headache/bad attitude. Look at a mature Speights now and how good he has been for GSW

Upshaw could really climb on draft night if he keeps playing well.  And while WCS specialty mainly is on defense , upshaw is a two way potential. He gets the right guy to refine his game, gains 10 more pounds of strength and he will be a load to deal with in the nba

We can agree to disagree but I just see a lot more potential in Poeltl. He is 19 vs Upshaw who is already 21. While Upshaw is the better player right now I think Poeltl has a much higher ceiling as a prospect. Having watched Poeltl I would not say he is unathletic, quit the opposite he has great mobility for a 7'. I think aside from WCS he has the highest upside as a big man defender in this draft. His lateral mobility should allow him to excel as a pick and role defender. On offense he is still developing but tp paraphrase Bill Walton in the last game I watched " Poeltl doesn't realize how good he is and his teammates don't realize how good he is, that kid needs the ball". This is not to say he will ever be a go to center in the NBA but I could see him with a T Zeller like offensive game. On defense I have seen some draft sites comp him to Asik (I hate the white guy gets white guy comps but it is prob the best comp here). You compare him to Vucevic and I see very few similarities.

D Johnson I will concede as a questionable prospect but I think alot of this comes from him being odd man out at UK. Towns gets the hype and WCS gets the media love for his D and energy. Johnson is the other guy. My gut feeling is that he is a better prospect then people think. Had WCS declared for the draft last year and Johnson was the starting center next to Towns I think he would be a no argument top 15 pick. He has the same height and length at T Zeller but with a larger frame. Zeller was 247 at the combine as a senior Johnson has trimmed down to 255 as a soph. In his pro prime I expect him to play in the low 270s. A 7' wingspan isn't great but it also isn't a negative its just average . Also like Poeltl Johnson is 2 years younger then Upshaw this added youth also leads to a higher ceiling .

With all that Im not saying I dont like Upshaw. I would just take either Poeltl or Johnson before him. I only used the Fab Melo comp to show the transition from a 2-3 zone in college to NBA style man defense. I also don't really follow you on the Speights comp? He is a 6'10 4/5 who has primarily been a scoring big in both college and the Pro. Upshaw is a 7' defensive center.

[jonaslopes]

Ive wrote a little about him on the "two earlier to talk about the draft" thread.


Having watched a few of his games I personally see him at best as a Brendan Haywood / Greg Ostertag level defensive center. He is really big, I would guess 7' in shoes and over 270lbs with great length. He runs the court well for his size but I would not consider him overly athletic. Probably comparably to Hibbert. He really lacks any type of advanced post game but seems surprisingly comfortable with the ball in his hands on the perimeter. Obviously he really excels as a shot blocker he has great timing and is able to block alot of shots using his length and not jumping. This sets him up for second block opportunities and also helps keep him in rebounding position. His man to man and pick and role D are a concern because Washington primarily seems to stay in a 2-3 Zone. So like Fab Melo the jury is out on how his mobility and skill set will translate to NBA defense.


In terms center prospects after Okafor I would rank him after D Johnson and J Poeltl. I think both Johnson and Poeltl have higher ceilings. Johnson as a post scoring option and Poetlt as a well rounded defender. I do think Upshaw will be a solid pick in the mid to late 20s and could contribute early in his career if he makes an ok transition out of the 2-3.

Okafor
WCS
Poeltl
D Johnson
Upshaw

Disagree with some of your points. How do you have poetl and d johnson over upshaw? Yes wingspan ,size, athleticsm do count when it comes to centers. Poetl is an unathletic , weaker version of vucevic.  D johnson has a 7-0 wingspan.  Doesnt bring much skills to the table. Good backup center potential in the NBA.

Upshaw i doubt will turn outl like a dud like melo. Upshaw imo is another Speights without the headache/bad attitude. Look at a mature Speights now and how good he has been for GSW

Upshaw could really climb on draft night if he keeps playing well.  And while WCS specialty mainly is on defense , upshaw is a two way potential. He gets the right guy to refine his game, gains 10 more pounds of strength and he will be a load to deal with in the nba

We can agree to disagree but I just see a lot more potential in Poeltl. He is 19 vs Upshaw who is already 21. While Upshaw is the better player right now I think Poeltl has a much higher ceiling as a prospect. Having watched Poeltl I would not say he is unathletic, quit the opposite he has great mobility for a 7'. I think aside from WCS he has the highest upside as a big man defender in this draft. His lateral mobility should allow him to excel as a pick and role defender. On offense he is still developing but tp paraphrase Bill Walton in the last game I watched " Poeltl doesn't realize how good he is and his teammates don't realize how good he is, that kid needs the ball". This is not to say he will ever be a go to center in the NBA but I could see him with a T Zeller like offensive game. On defense I have seen some draft sites comp him to Asik (I hate the white guy gets white guy comps but it is prob the best comp here). You compare him to Vucevic and I see very few similarities.

D Johnson I will concede as a questionable prospect but I think alot of this comes from him being odd man out at UK. Towns gets the hype and WCS gets the media love for his D and energy. Johnson is the other guy. My gut feeling is that he is a better prospect then people think. Had WCS declared for the draft last year and Johnson was the starting center next to Towns I think he would be a no argument top 15 pick. He has the same height and length at T Zeller but with a larger frame. Zeller was 247 at the combine as a senior Johnson has trimmed down to 255 as a soph. In his pro prime I expect him to play in the low 270s. A 7' wingspan isn't great but it also isn't a negative its just average . Also like Poeltl Johnson is 2 years younger then Upshaw this added youth also leads to a higher ceiling .

With all that Im not saying I dont like Upshaw. I would just take either Poeltl or Johnson before him. I only used the Fab Melo comp to show the transition from a 2-3 zone in college to NBA style man defense. I also don't really follow you on the Speights comp? He is a 6'10 4/5 who has primarily been a scoring big in both college and the Pro. Upshaw is a 7' defensive center.

Nice comment, TP. Agree about Dakari and Poeltl - both are very nice prospects, IMO. Don't know about Upshaw, maybe he doesn't have too much IQ.

[Tr1boy]

His vertical looks poor. Timing looks great.   I have a different definition of mobility than some here.   I think it means ability to move.

Eh? Sully and ko vertical are poor.  Upshaws vertical is good. Plus his 7-4 wingspan , his max vert is prob more than good

And yeah add to this the exellent timing.

[Tr1boy]

Ive wrote a little about him on the "two earlier to talk about the draft" thread.


Having watched a few of his games I personally see him at best as a Brendan Haywood / Greg Ostertag level defensive center. He is really big, I would guess 7' in shoes and over 270lbs with great length. He runs the court well for his size but I would not consider him overly athletic. Probably comparably to Hibbert. He really lacks any type of advanced post game but seems surprisingly comfortable with the ball in his hands on the perimeter. Obviously he really excels as a shot blocker he has great timing and is able to block alot of shots using his length and not jumping. This sets him up for second block opportunities and also helps keep him in rebounding position. His man to man and pick and role D are a concern because Washington primarily seems to stay in a 2-3 Zone. So like Fab Melo the jury is out on how his mobility and skill set will translate to NBA defense.


In terms center prospects after Okafor I would rank him after D Johnson and J Poeltl. I think both Johnson and Poeltl have higher ceilings. Johnson as a post scoring option and Poetlt as a well rounded defender. I do think Upshaw will be a solid pick in the mid to late 20s and could contribute early in his career if he makes an ok transition out of the 2-3.

Okafor
WCS
Poeltl
D Johnson
Upshaw

Disagree with some of your points. How do you have poetl and d johnson over upshaw? Yes wingspan ,size, athleticsm do count when it comes to centers. Poetl is an unathletic , weaker version of vucevic.  D johnson has a 7-0 wingspan.  Doesnt bring much skills to the table. Good backup center potential in the NBA.

Upshaw i doubt will turn outl like a dud like melo. Upshaw imo is another Speights without the headache/bad attitude. Look at a mature Speights now and how good he has been for GSW

Upshaw could really climb on draft night if he keeps playing well.  And while WCS specialty mainly is on defense , upshaw is a two way potential. He gets the right guy to refine his game, gains 10 more pounds of strength and he will be a load to deal with in the nba

We can agree to disagree but I just see a lot more potential in Poeltl. He is 19 vs Upshaw who is already 21. While Upshaw is the better player right now I think Poeltl has a much higher ceiling as a prospect. Having watched Poeltl I would not say he is unathletic, quit the opposite he has great mobility for a 7'. I think aside from WCS he has the highest upside as a big man defender in this draft. His lateral mobility should allow him to excel as a pick and role defender. On offense he is still developing but tp paraphrase Bill Walton in the last game I watched " Poeltl doesn't realize how good he is and his teammates don't realize how good he is, that kid needs the ball". This is not to say he will ever be a go to center in the NBA but I could see him with a T Zeller like offensive game. On defense I have seen some draft sites comp him to Asik (I hate the white guy gets white guy comps but it is prob the best comp here). You compare him to Vucevic and I see very few similarities.

D Johnson I will concede as a questionable prospect but I think alot of this comes from him being odd man out at UK. Towns gets the hype and WCS gets the media love for his D and energy. Johnson is the other guy. My gut feeling is that he is a better prospect then people think. Had WCS declared for the draft last year and Johnson was the starting center next to Towns I think he would be a no argument top 15 pick. He has the same height and length at T Zeller but with a larger frame. Zeller was 247 at the combine as a senior Johnson has trimmed down to 255 as a soph. In his pro prime I expect him to play in the low 270s. A 7' wingspan isn't great but it also isn't a negative its just average . Also like Poeltl Johnson is 2 years younger then Upshaw this added youth also leads to a higher ceiling .

With all that Im not saying I dont like Upshaw. I would just take either Poeltl or Johnson before him. I only used the Fab Melo comp to show the transition from a 2-3 zone in college to NBA style man defense. I also don't really follow you on the Speights comp? He is a 6'10 4/5 who has primarily been a scoring big in both college and the Pro. Upshaw is a 7' defensive center.

Upshaw has more potential than just being a shotblocker. He has handles and decent touch(back to the basket) for a big man. There is untapped potential for offensive production and with the right coach could  score 15 pts consistently

His body, athleticism, mobility, tools on the offensive end= speights comparison imo.  Not as a gifted scorer . Speights/haywood (when he tried)