Zeke Upshaw | CollegeLayup.com — Real and sincere college basketball analysis By Eldon Khorshidi

Zeke Upshaw
SG/SF, 6-6, 215
Senior, 23 years old (via Illinois State)

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Season (36.5 mpg): 20 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 APG
40% FG, 35% three-point (8 attempts)

Game Report 1

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Towson 83, Hofstra 77

Saturday, February 22, 2014 | Mack Sports Complex (Hempstead, NY)

Zeke Upshaw — SG/SF, 6-6, 215
Senior, 23 years old (via Illinois State)

Season (36.3 mpg): 19.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2 APG, 2.9 TO

40% FG, 34% three-point, 74% FT, 18 PER
Using 30% of Hofstra’s shots (91st nationally)

Game: 33 pts, 4 rbs, 3 ast, 6 to
9-21 FG, 3-10 three-point, 12-12 FT

Outlook: Upshaw is a 6-6 swingman whose first instinct is to score. His size allows him to get clear shooting looks, either curling off screens or in spot-up situations. Without a quick first step, he curls off screens to catch and penetrate, where he can attack and leverage his size to accumulate free throws (6.8 FTA). Careless shot selection, but he provides a scoring output that Hofstra desperately needs.

Upshaw transferred from Illinois State this season, via the graduate transfer rule. Quite a remarkable spike in production:

2010-11 (ILST): 5.3 MPG, 0.9 PPG, 0.4 RPG, 0.2 APG

2011-12 (ILST): 5.4 MPG, 1.4 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 0.1 APG

2012-13 (ILST): 7.4 MPG, 2.4 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.6 APG

2013-14 (HOF): 36.4 MPG, 19.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2 APG

Now at Hofstra, he is the Pride’s go-to scorer. He’s shooting 40% from the field, and 35% from 3. Not efficient, but he gets the job done; he’s scored over 25 points in eight games, including a 37-point performance at Richmond.

That said, he has poor form (releases the ball from his chest) and shot selection. He’s also slow off the bounce—which would severely hamper him at the next level—and he is an average athlete.

Upshaw can grab rebounds due to his 6-6 frame, but I wouldn’t say he consistently competes on the glass. He averages 4.2 rebounds, but produces only a 3.3% offensive rebounding percentage, and 10.3% defensive rebounding percentage, average marks at best.

Additionally, he posts a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, which speaks to a) his limited offensive game, and b) a tendency to force plays.

Overall, Upshaw is Hofstra’s go-to scorer. He draws foul and has range on his shot. But he doesn’t contribute in other areas, and I can’t imagine Upshaw scoring against NBA competition.

I suspect he’ll earn a paycheck playing basketball somewhere next season, but not in the NBA.

Strengths
— Good size at 6-6
— Excellent curling off screens; terrific range on jump shot
— Volume scorer; capable of getting hot and scoring in bunches
— Polished “runner” down the lane
— Decent rebounder

Defects/Areas of Improvement
— Lacks quickness off the bounce
— Careless shot selection, leading to 40% FG and 34% 3-pointers
— Releases the ball from his chest
— Inconsistent rebounder
— Poor facilitator (doesn’t do much besides score)
— Will struggle to score in the NBA (he’s a good scorer, but Upshaw has never “imposed his will” scoring the basketball)

Video

Video: 33 points vs. Towson

— Good size