Zeke Upshaw

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Zeke Upshaw

| image =

| caption =

| number =

| league =

| team =

| position = Small forward

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 6

| weight_lbs = 215

| birth_date = {{birth date|1991|5|27}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|3|26|1991|5|27}}

| death_place =Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.

| high_school = U. of Chicago Laboratory Schools
(Chicago, Illinois)

| college =

Illinois State (2010–2013)
Hofstra (2013–2014)

| draft_year = 2014

| career_start = 2014

| career_end = 2018

| years1 = 2014–2015

| team1 = Helios Suns

| years2 = 2015–2016

| team2 = Basket Esch

| years3 = 2016–2018

| team3 = Grand Rapids Drive

| highlights =

Second-team All-CAA (2014)

}}

Zena Ray "Zeke" Upshaw (May 27, 1991 – March 26, 2018) was an American professional basketball player. He began his college basketball career with the Illinois State Redbirds. After playing sparingly for three seasons, he transferred to join the Hofstra Pride, where he led the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in scoring and was named second-team all-conference. Upshaw played professionally in Slovenia and Luxembourg before returning to the United States and joining the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League (now known as the G League). In the Drive's regular season finale in 2017–18, he collapsed on the court in the game's final minute and died two days later.{{cite news|title=NBA G League player Zeke Upshaw passes away after on-court collapse during game|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2018/03/25/nba-g-league-grand-rapids-player-zeke-upshaw-passes-away|access-date=March 26, 2018|work=NBA.com|date=March 26, 2018}}

High school career

Upshaw was born in Chicago. As a child, he gravitated toward basketballs at Toys "R" Us over all the other toys in the store.{{cite news|last=Herrmann|first=Mark|title=Zeke Upshaw and Hofstra have been a great match|date=March 17, 2014|newspaper=Newsday|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/hofstra/zeke-upshaw-and-hofstra-have-been-a-great-match-1.7112976}}{{cite news|last=Akouris|first=Tina|title=Playing Smart Hoops|date=December 17, 2007|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|url=https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-sun-times/20071217/282325380636260|via=PressReader}} He began playing organized basketball when he was six. Upshaw attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools where he averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as a junior in 2008,{{cite web|title=Zeke Upshaw|website=GoHofstra.com|url=http://www.gohofstra.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2324|access-date=March 27, 2018}} when he was named the most valuable player (MVP) of the Independent School League.{{cite news|last=Benson|first=Jim|title=Redbirds Get Yet Another Commitment|date=August 19, 2008|newspaper=The Pantagraph|page=B1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18676196/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

College career

After redshirting his first year at Illinois State University (ISU), Upshaw played three years for the Redbirds, albeit with minimal playing time.{{cite news|last=Kindred|first=Randy|title=Upshaw Moving On From Redbirds|date=March 29, 2013|newspaper=The Pantagraph|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18675881/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} He averaged 1.6 points per game, while never averaging more than 7.4 minutes played per game.{{cite news|last=Kieran|first=Darcy|title=Hofstra reboot required more than Pride|date=January 26, 2014|website=ESPN.com|url=http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/colleges/post/_/id/6645/hofstra-reboot-required-more-than-pride}} He graduated from Illinois State with a degree in apparel, merchandising and design in 2013, but transferred to Hofstra for his final season of NCAA eligibility.{{cite news|last1=Hamilton|first1=Brian|title=Hofstra's Upshaw makes huge leap thanks to graduate transfer rule|url=https://www.si.com/college-basketball/one-and-one/2014/01/31/hosftra-zeke-upshaw-graduate-transfer-rule-ncaa|access-date=March 27, 2018|work=SI.com|date=January 31, 2014}} Upshaw exercised the graduate transfer exception, which enables players who have already received their degree but have eligibility remaining to be able to play immediately at another school while studying for a post-graduate degree in a discipline that was not available in their previous school.{{cite news|last=DeCourcy|first=Mike|title= After years of DNPs, Hofstra's Upshaw takes pride in being nation's most improved|date=January 30, 2014|work=Sporting News|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/news/after-years-of-dnps-hofstras-upshaw-takes-pride-in-being-nations-most-improved/ufgr1ggwgdrt1k9c3c7vlg49l}}{{cite news|last=Benson|first=Jim|title=Upshaw Making His Mark In Hostra|date=December 13, 2013|newspaper=The Pantagraph|page=B1–2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18706002/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} He was seeking a school where he could be an "impact player and have an opportunity to [play professionally] overseas or somewhere."

After receiving his release from ISU, Upshaw was originally recruited by Niagara coach Joe Mihalich. However, the coach left soon for Hofstra, where he told Upshaw the opportunity to play was even higher because four players had been kicked off the team after a burglary incident. On January 15, 2014, Upshaw scored 27 points and tied a Pride record with seven three-pointers in a 69–64 win over UNC-Wilmington.{{cite news|title=Zeke Upshaw scores 27 to lead Pride win|date=January 15, 2014|newspaper=Newsday|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/hofstra/zeke-upshaw-scores-27-to-lead-pride-win-1.6809246}}{{cite news|last=Kussoy|first=Howie|title=Mihalich, Upshaw return Pride to Hofstra basketball|date=January 24, 2014|newspaper=New York Post|url=https://nypost.com/2014/01/24/mihalich-upshaw-return-pride-to-hofstra-basketball/}} He led the CAA in scoring at 19.8 points per game,{{cite news|last=Marcus|first=Steven|title=Former Hofstra player Zeke Upshaw dies after collapsing in NBA G League game|date=March 26, 2018|newspaper=Newsday|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/zeke-upshaw-collapse-1.17678297}} and earned second-team All-CAA honors.{{cite news|last=Fairbank|first=Dave|title=All-CAA hoops voting|date=March 7, 2014|newspaper=Daily Press|url=http://www.dailypress.com/sports/fairbank-blog/dp-spt-blog-all-caa-hoops-20140307-post.html}} His 17.3 points per game increase over his 2.5 average from 2012 to 2013 was the largest increase in Division I basketball.{{cite web|last=McDonnell|first=Tim|title= FINAL 2013-14 CAA MEN'S BASKETBALL REPORT|date=May 29, 2014|publisher=Colonial Athletic Association|url=http://caasports.com/news/2014/6/16/MBB_0616140941.aspx}}

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, he passed on the option to enter the NBA Development League Draft.{{cite news|first=Nicholas|last=LeTourneau|title=Zeke Upshaw Is Poised To Take The D-League By Storm|date=December 29, 2016|work=Ridiculous Upside|url=https://www.ridiculousupside.com/2016/12/29/14112254/zeke-upshaw-dleague-grand-rapids-drive}} Instead, he signed with Helios Suns of the Premier A Slovenian Basketball League in September 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.delo.si/sport/drugi-sporti/zeke-upshaw-tretji-american-pri-heliosu.html|title=Zeke Upshaw tretji Američan pri Heliosu|work=delo.si|date=September 3, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328035337/https://www.delo.si/sport/drugi-sporti/zeke-upshaw-tretji-american-pri-heliosu.html|archive-date=March 28, 2018|language=sl}}{{cite web|last=Breen|first=Justin|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140918/hyde-park/zeke-upshaws-basketball-journey-from-chicagos-playgrounds-slovenia|title=Zeke Upshaw's Basketball Journey: From Chicago's Playgrounds to Slovenia|newspaper=DNAInfo|date=September 18, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328035621/https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140918/hyde-park/zeke-upshaws-basketball-journey-from-chicagos-playgrounds-slovenia|archive-date=March 28, 2018}} In 30 games for Helios in 2014–15, he averaged 9.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurobasket.com/Luxembourg/news/417287/Basket-Esch-adds-Upshaw-to-their-roster,-ex-Helios|title=Basket Esch adds Upshaw to their roster, ex Helios|work=Eurobasket.com|date=August 17, 2015|access-date=March 28, 2018}}

In August 2015, Upshaw signed with Basket Esch of Luxembourg's Total League for the 2015–16 season. In 27 games, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Duncan|url=https://pistonpowered.com/2016/10/31/grand-rapids-drive-d-league-draft/|title=Grand Rapids Drive complete 2016-17 NBA D-League draft|work=pistonpowered.com|date=October 31, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2018}}

After deciding to enter the 2016 NBA Development League Draft, Upshaw was selected in the fourth round by the Grand Rapids Drive.{{cite web|last=Wallner|first=Peter J.|url=http://www.mlive.com/drive/2016/10/meet_grand_rapids_drives_six_s.html|title=Meet Grand Rapids Drive's six selections from NBA D-League draft|work=MLive.com|date=October 31, 2016|access-date=March 28, 2018}} In 34 games for the Drive in 2016–17, he averaged 6.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/gleague/players/u/upshaze01d.html|title=Zeke Upshaw G-League Stats|work=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=March 28, 2018}}

Death

On March 24, 2018, Upshaw scored 11 points in the regular-season finale to earn a playoff spot for Grand Rapids in a 101–99 home win over the Long Island Nets. In the game's final minute, however, he collapsed and was taken off the court at DeltaPlex Arena on a stretcher.{{cite web|agency=Associated Press|title=Former Illinois State player under doctors' care after collapses during NBA G League game|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/ct-zeke-upshaw-g-league-collapse-20180324-story.html|date=March 25, 2018|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=March 25, 2018}}{{cite news|last=Doyle|first=Ricky|title=NBA Community Shows Love For G League Player Who Died After On-Court Collapse|date=March 26, 2018|work=NESN.com|url=https://nesn.com/2018/03/g-league-player-tragically-dies-after-collapsing-on-court-during-game/}} Paramedics started cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the ambulance, seven minutes after his collapse, and his heart did not start again until 40 minutes later in the hospital.{{cite news|last=Quinn|first=T. J.|title=G League player's death spurs awareness of sudden cardiac arrest|date=March 24, 2020|website=ESPN.com|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28943599/athletes-collapse-think-heart-first|access-date=March 25, 2020}} Two days later on March 26, Upshaw died in Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the age of 26.{{cite web|last1=Ward-Henninger|first1=Colin|title=Zeke Upshaw dies after collapsing during NBA G League game|date=March 26, 2018|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/zeke-upshaw-dies-after-collapsing-during-nba-g-league-game/|website=CBSSports.com|access-date=March 26, 2018|language=en}} The Kent County medical examiner's preliminary determination after conducting an autopsy was that Upshaw had a sudden cardiac death.{{cite news|last=Hendrix|first=Leon|title=ME: Drive player collapse was a 'sudden cardiac death'|date=March 27, 2018|work=WOODTV.com|url=http://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/me-drive-player-collapse-was-a-sudden-cardiac-death/1084389531|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328045112/http://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/me-drive-player-collapse-was-a-sudden-cardiac-death/1084389531|archive-date=March 28, 2018|url-status=live}} It was later expanded to state Upshaw had "cardiac abnormalities" that his family had no prior knowledge of.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ridiculousupside.com/2018/6/11/17438040/zeke-upshaw-nba-wrongful-death-lawsuit-pistons-drive-g-league|title = Examining the Zeke Upshaw Wrongful Death Suit and What Could Have Been|date = 11 June 2018}} Out of respect for Upshaw, the NBA G League delayed the first round of the 2018 playoffs,{{cite news|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2018/03/25/nba-g-league-grand-rapids-player-zeke-upshaw-passes-away|title=NBA G League player Zeke Upshaw passes away after on-court collapse during game|date=March 26, 2018|agency=The Associated Press|website=NBA.com}} while the Detroit Pistons gave him an honorary call-up to the team on March 29 for their game against the Washington Wizards.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2018/03/29/detroit-pistons-memorialize-career-zeke-upshaw-honorary-call|title=Detroit Pistons memorialize career of Zeke Upshaw with honorary call-up|date=March 29, 2018|website=NBA.com}}

On May 30, 2018, Upshaw's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the NBA, the Detroit Pistons, the SSJ Group, who owns the Grand Rapids Drive, and the DeltaPlex Arena.{{cite web|first=Matt|last=Gard|title=Family of G League player Zeke Upshaw to file wrongful death lawsuit against NBA|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2018/05/30/zeke-upshaw-family-wrongful-death-lawsuit-nba/655445002/|website=USA Today|date=May 30, 2018|access-date=June 15, 2018}} Afterwards, the Detroit Free Press reported that a year earlier, he had fainted and been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is the chief cause of heart-related deaths of young athletes in the U.S. and which, combined with over-exertion, is believed to have killed him.{{cite web|first1=Orion|last1=Sang|first2=George|last2=Stoia|title=G-Leaguer Zeke Upshaw diagnosed with heart disease year before he died|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2018/06/02/zeke-upshaw-death-grand-rapids-drive-g-league/665151002/|website=Detroit Free Press|date=June 3, 2018|access-date=August 16, 2018}}

In July 2019, the NBA and the Detroit Pistons settled a lawsuit with Upshaw's family.{{cite web|title=NBA, Pistons settle lawsuit over G League player's death|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2019/07/25/nba-detroit-pistons-settle-lawsuit-over-g-league-player-zeke-upshaw-death/1828113001/|website=The Detroit News|agency=Associated Press|date=July 25, 2019|access-date=July 25, 2019}}

References

External links

[http://gleague.nba.com/player/zeke-upshaw/ NBA G League profile]
[http://www.gohofstra.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2324 Hofstra Pride bio]
[http://www.goredbirds.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1292 Illinois State Redbirds bio]
[https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Zeke-Upshaw/Summary/7304 RealGM.com profile]

Category:1991 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:21st-century American sportsmen

Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Luxembourg

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Slovenia

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Basketball players from Chicago

Category:Filmed deaths in sports

Category:Grand Rapids Drive players

Category:Hofstra Pride men's basketball players

Category:Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball players