Devonte Upson

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Devonte Upson

| image = Devonte Upson (190727-F-LC827-081) (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Upson during The Basketball Tournament 2019

| position = Center

| league = GBL

| team = PAOK Thessaloniki

| number = 9

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|3|23}}

| birth_place = Augusta, Georgia, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 9

| weight_lb = 225

| high_school = Harrison
(Colorado Springs, Colorado)

| college =

Trinidad State (2011–2013)
{{nowrap|Southeastern Louisiana (2013–2015)}}

| draft_year = 2015

| career_start = 2015

| years1 = 2015–2016

| team1 = Starwings Basel

| years2 = 2016–2017

| team2 = Helsinki Seagulls

| years3 = 2017–2018

| team3 = Rapla KK

| years4 = 2018

| team4 = Beijing Bucks

| years5 = 2018–2019

| team5 = Start Lublin

| years6 = 2019

| team6 = Comunicaciones Mercedes

| years7 = 2019–2020

| team7 = Arka Gdynia

| years8 = 2020

| team8 = SIG Strasbourg

| years9 = 2020–2021

| team9 = Pallacanestro Trieste

| years10 = 2021–2022

| team10 = Merkezefendi

| years11 = 2022–2023

| team11 = Hapoel Haifa

| years12 = 2023–2024

| team12 = Büyükçekmece

| years13 = 2024

| team13 = Trepça

| years14 = 2024–present

| team14 = PAOK Thessaloniki

| highlights =

Kosovo Superleague champion (2024)
Liga Unike champion (2024)
Kosovo Cup (2024)

}}

Zwencyl DeVonte Upson (born March 23, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for PAOK of the Greek Basketball League (GBL).{{Cite web|url=https://legabasket.it/content/news/119752/allianz-pallacanestro-trieste-ufficiale-l-arrivo-di-zwencyl-devonte-upson|title=Allianz Pallacanestro Trieste, ufficiale l'arrivo di Zwencyl DeVonte Upson|website=legabasket.it|date=March 7, 2020}} He plays the center position.{{Cite web|url=https://lionsports.net/sports/mens-basketball/roster/devonte-upson/2562|title=DeVonte Upson – Men's Basketball|website=Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics}} He played college basketball for Trinidad State College and Southeastern Louisiana University.

Early life

Upson was born in Augusta, Georgia, to Zwencyl Upson and Lelinda Parksand, and lived in Amarillo, Texas.{{Cite web|url=https://lionsroarnews.com/5021/athlete-of-the-week-15/uncategorized/|title=Athlete of the Week|first=Maria|last=Goddard|work=The Lion's Roar|date=February 10, 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Devonte-Upson/Summary/58950|title=Devonte Upson Player Profile, Southeastern Louisiana|website=RealGM}} He is {{convert|6|ft|9|in|abbr=on}} tall, and weighs {{convert|205|lb|abbr=on}}.

He attended Harrison High School ('11) in Colorado Springs, Colorado.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurobasket.com/index.aspx|title=Devonte Upson Player Profile, Hapoel B Cure Lazxr Haifa, News, Stats|website=Eurobasket}} Playing basketball for the high school as a senior, Upson averaged 11.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks per game.{{cite web | url=https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/devonte-upson/KIdVqPTxEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/basketball/stats.htm | title=Devonte Upson's (Colorado Springs, CO) Harrison High School Basketball Stats }}

College career

In 2011–13, Upson attended and played basketball at Trinidad State College in Trinidad, Colorado. In his freshman season, he averaged 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, shooting 61.8% from the field.{{Cite web|url=https://njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2011-12/div1/teams/TrinidadStateJuniorCollege/leaders.html|title=Trinidad State Junior College – NJCAA Stats|website=NJCAA}} In his sophomore year, he averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks (2nd in NJCAA Region IX) per game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southland.org/news/2013/10/26/GEN_5330.aspx?path=general|title=Men's Basketball Preview: Southeastern Louisiana|work=Southland|date=October 16, 2013}}

In 2013–15, he attended and played basketball at Southeastern Louisiana University ('15). In 2013–14, Upson averaged 8.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocked shots per game. In 2015, he averaged 10.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game and was All-Southland Conference Honorable Mention.

Professional career

In 2015–16, Upson played for Starwings Basket Regio Basel of Switzerland's LNA. He averaged 14.6 points, 9.6 rebounds (3rd in the LNA) and 1.0 blocks (3rd) per game.{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/70/Swiss-LNA/stats/2016/Averages/Qualified/All/points/All/desc/1/Regular_Season|title=Swiss LNA Stats|website=RealGM}} In 2016–17, he played for Helsinki Seagulls of Finland's Korisliiga. He averaged 19.6 points and 0.9 blocks (5th in the league) per game.{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/37/Finnish-Korisliiga/stats/2017/Averages/Qualified/All/points/All/desc/1/Regular_Season|title=Finnish Korisliiga Stats |website=RealGM}}

In 2017–18, he played for Rapla BS of Estonia's Korvpalli Meistriliiga. Upson averaged 10.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks (2nd in the league) per game. In June 2018, he was signed by the Beijing Bucks in the Chinese National Basketball League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/players/devonte-upson/profile/009585/|title=DEVONTE UPSON Profile | EuroCup|website=Euroleague Basketball}} Playing for them, he averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game.{{Cite web|url=http://archive.sportando.basketball/en/europe/poland/285089/devonte-upson-joins-tbv-start-lublin.html|title=Devonte Upson joins TBV Start Lublin; The American recently performed in Chinese NBL with Beijing Bucks|website=Sportando|date=August 8, 2018}}

In 2018–19, Upson played for Polski Cukier Pszczolka Start Lublin of the Polish Basketball League, averaging 9.7 points, 6.4 rebounds (5th in the league), and 1.1 blocks (2nd) per game. In 2019, he played for Comunicaciones Mercedes of Argentina's Liga, averaging 5.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basquetplus.com/articulo/upson-no-conoc%C3%ADa-mucho-la-liga-nacional-es-muy-exigente|title=Upson: "No conocía mucho la Liga Nacional, es muy exigente"|date=May 15, 2019|website=Basquet Plus}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.basquetplus.com/articulo/devonte-upson-se-sum%C3%B3-al-plantel-de-comunicaciones|title=Devonte Upson se sumó al plantel de Comunicaciones|date=May 6, 2019|website=Basquet Plus}}

In 2019–20, he played for Asseco Arka Gdynia of the Polish Basketball League, averaging 7.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game.{{Cite web|url=http://admin.euroleague.net/item/9rdh8w4cldfnlexc|title=Arka Gdynia adds big man Upson|date=June 24, 2019|website= 7DAYS EuroCup}}{{Cite web|url=https://polskikosz.pl/arka-bez-srodkowego-devonte-upson-we-francji/|title=Arka bez środkowego – Devonte Upson we Francji?|date=February 19, 2020 |website=PolskiKosz.pl}}{{Cite web|url=https://polskikosz.pl/devonte-upson-w-gdyni-nowy-lotnik-w-arce/|title=Devonte Upson w Gdyni – nowy lotnik w Arce |website=PolskiKosz.pl|date=June 24, 2019}} In 2020, Upson played one game for Strasbourg IG of France's Jeep Elite, before the pandemic ended the season.{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/trieste-in-advanced-talks-with-devonte-upson/|title=Trieste in advanced talks with Devonte Upson|work= Sportando|first=Nicola|last=Lupo|date=July 2, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bebasket.fr/linterieur-devonte-upson-va-renforcer-la-sig-strasbourg/|title=L'intérieur Devonte Upson va renforcer la SIG Strasbourg|date=February 19, 2020|work=BeBasket}}

In 2020–21, he played for Pallacanestro Trieste 2004 of Italy's Lega Basket Serie A,[https://www.basketmarche.it/2020/07/02/serie-/pallacanestro-trieste-punta-centro-devonte-upson/70034 "La Pallacanestro Trieste punta il centro Devonte Upson,"] Basket Marche, July 2, 2020. and averaged 7.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks per game. In 2021–22, he played for Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli Basket of Turkey's Basketbol Süper Ligi. He averaged 8.8 points, 6.8 rebounds (9th in the league), and 0.8 blocks (6th) per game, while shooting 68% from the field.[https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/devonte-upson-1.html "Devonte Upson International Stats,"] Basketball Reference.{{Cite web|url=https://sportsrabbi.com/en/amazing-teammate-and-even-more-amazing-talent-who-are-you-hapoel-haifa-big-man-devonte-upson/|title="Amazing teammate and even more amazing talent" – Who are you Hapoel Haifa big man Devonte Upson?|first=Joshua|last=Halickman|date=August 15, 2022}}

In 2022–23, Upson played for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League.{{Cite web|url=https://sports.walla.co.il/item/3515673|title=המצטרף השני: דבונטה אפסון חתם בהפועל חיפה |date=June 30, 2022|website=וואלה!}}

On the 8 February 2024, Upson signed for Trepça of the Kosovo Superleague.{{cite news|url=https://www.koha.net/sport/408739/trepca-firmos-me-amerikanin-me-pervoje/|title=Trepça firmos me amerikanin me përvojë|work=Koha|date=8 February 2024|language=sq|access-date=8 February 2024}}

On August 3, 2024, he joined PAOK Thesssaloniki.{{Cite web |title=PAOK Mateco Thessaloniki inks Devonte Upson, ex Trepca |url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Greece/news/885289/PAOK-Mateco-Thessaloniki-inks-Devonte-Upson,-ex-Trepca |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=www.eurobasket.com}}