Upshaw with the 16th pick. Yes or No?

[Evantime34]

Robert Upshaw was suspended twice in his freshman year at Fresno State, before being banished for good after two suspensions didn't get the message through.  At the same time, Robert Upshaw was the highest-rated recruit EVER at Fresno State.  They beat out schools like Arizona, UCLA, and Louisville for him.  To banish him after a year must tell you how much of a bad influence he was.  Having a guy like Upshaw around to dominate a smaller conference like the WAC produces the type of success that earns coaches large extensions or jobs at higher-profile schools.  That Fresno State decided, in less than a year, that they were better without him says a ton.

The following year, Upshaw landed at Washington.  Due to NCAA transfer rules, he had to sit out the season.  Halfway through that  season, in which he was only allowed to practice, and not play, the coach told him to stay away from the team.  Then this year, despite being a completely dominant center, he was again kicked off the team in the middle of the season.

This isn't a player who would be getting a second chance.  He arguably wouldn't be getting a third chance.  He's literally been kicked off his team three years in a row.  NBA coaches don't have time to deal with that sort of nonsense playing 4 games in four cities over five days.  Taking him at #16 overall would be pure folly, and at 28 would probably be regrettable.

Also, he's talented, but let's be clear -- even if he didn't get kicked off his team for the second time, he would be lucky to be picked before #10.  You're not talking about getting someone with the talent and athleticism of Karl-Anthony Towns but with character flaws.  You're talking about getting someone who's around Myles Turner level, but with character flaws.  The value simply isn't there at 16 for the outsized risk that he brings with him.

People can change attributes about themselves with due effort. I think Upshaw can be our answer to our rim protection need, he can even shoot a little bit too. At the combine, I didn't see a trace of this terrible kid that everyone is making him out to be, he actually is saying some of the right things when he mentions he's "surrounding himself with the right people", one of those people is no other than Celtics legend, Bill Walton.
Who opened up to Upshaw about his own drug addiction:

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/will-nba-teams-be-willing-take-chance-robert-upshaw

I think the scene is playing itself out for Upshaw to really be an impact player if he keeps his head straight and off the weed, and that is accomplished by, as Robert said himself, surrounding himself by good influences, namely Brad Stevens. And also if he doesn't let the rookie contract money at #16 fool him into not maximazing his opportunity in the NBA.

It's the draft, there's suppose to be a risk/reward aspect, no player is a sure thing until they place a foot onto the hardwood floor.

Sure, people can change.  But its naïve to think that after years of being a Grade-A moron that he's put it all together so much in three months that he's ready to earn $3.7 million in two years and not let it get to his head.  I'm rooting for him to succeed, because it sounds like if he weren't really tall and athletic, and people who were really tall and athletic didn't get paid millions to play basketball, he'd be in for a lot of trouble the rest of his life.  And I truly hate to see that if anyone.  But at the same time, it is about risk-reward, as you said.  As the risk goes up, either the reward should too, or the price should go down.  From an off-the-court perspective, he is by far the riskiest player.  But if he's a top 10 player on the court, he's #10, and not number 5 or even number 7.  Accordingly, with that level of risk, the price needs to drop, and dropping to 16 is really still quite overpriced, given the risk that he not only flames out, but hurts team chemistry in the process.

This sounds like the argument to take Royce White all over again.  We all saw how well that worked out.

That's just uncalled for, I'm sensing some real disdain for this dude that's borderline irrational. He was let go for smoking weed not because he couldn't hold down a job.

And with that logic, you would think he would want to continue performing and do what is asked of him or else those millions will stop coming his way by his 3rd year. I think even he's smart enough to figure that one out, or else he wouldn't have come to the combine the way he did. He would've just let whoever draft him, draft him and just take THAT pay day... but he isn't looking to do that is he?

I think the irrationalty is coming from your end.  He was suspended twice by one scholarship program and then kicked out.  He was then suspended by his second program, and then kicked out.  There were many reported instances of disruptive behavior at practices.  He was not kicked out "just for weed".  It takes FOUR positive tests to be dismissed from his school, assuming he cooperated with the post-positive test rules after his first three (meeting with parent of guardian, going to counseling sessions, etc.). That means he either tested positive four times in less than 18 months, or refused to comply with the relativey lenient requirements after positive test 1-3 (there are no mandatory suspensions, for instance).  He has yet to show any indication that he's learned from the consequences of his actions.  Of course, when he was dismissed, the University said it was for a violation of team rules, which could be drugs or some other behavior.  He's said it was weed, but they've remained silent as far as I can tell.

He's not a guy who's made a mistake, or two mistakes, or even three mistakes.  He's someone who, for three straight years, made an increasing series of mistakes that got him kicked out of two colleges, despite being the most talented player on the team.  That takes a lot of screw-ups, and there's little reason to expect that he's somehow completely changed his life in 3 months just because his agent says so.

So he didn't commit to his school, so what?

He knows this "path to the NBA" game, dude.

Picture yourself in college, but only this time you are the big man on campus at 19 years old... the school makes money when you play, but are they paying you? ... NOPE, so how much are you going to care when the school starts making a fuzz about your habit?

 In that circumstance you would think you are untouchable, like what is the school going to do, get rid of their best player?! ... well it just happens that in that same circumstance the school would not leave the ball in the player's court for long(a lot of puns here... where they intended?)...

For you to think his reaction to an NBA franchise that's going to pay him millions, is going to be similar to some college he was just using to display his ball skills shows me where this irrationality stems from.

And like I said



"We all know DeAndre Jordan plays the green tambourine every once in a while, and Celtics fans are literally praying for this dude to come here... wow just wow, these social stigmas in sports."

Now we know how big Baby is able to eat so much that he gains weight during the season.

Personally I have nothing against, smoking weed. However, the teams that released him never explicitly said that was why he was kicked off the team.

College players often figure out ways to beat drug tests, I think in order to get kicked off the teams he had to do stronger drugs or do stupid things.

For example when I went to BC, Sean Williams was kicked off the team for smoking weed. However, it wasn't just because he smoked weed. It was because he decided to fire up an L in front of the dining hall on parents weekend. I doubt Upshaw simply was just smoking weed (I thought I read that he got kicked out of practice during the year he sat out as a transfer because he was being disruptive at practice).

In the end we don't know exactly what he did, but I would be shocked if it was simply smoking weed.

Nothing short of his weed habits, and lack of committment at the college level have been the criticised so far.

I'm criticizing him for getting kicked off two different college teams, which is the real issue. If he had smoked a ton of weed but never got kicked off any of his college teams no one would even be talking about his drug use.

[byennie]

"We all know DeAndre Jordan plays the green tambourine every once in a while, and Celtics fans are literally praying for this dude to come here... wow just wow, these social stigmas in sports."

Social stigmas in sports? I could care less if someone wants to drink a beer or smoke a joint on occasion (and one is not necessarily worse than the other). That doesn't mean there's any excuse for blowing relatively easy opportunities for huge success because you can't hold it together with an ounce of maturity. It's not like the guy is taking a thoughtful political stance on drug enforcement or something. He just doesn't feel like following rules or behaving like an adult, even to the level that 99% of 18 year-olds do. He's already cost himself millions of dollars.

I don't know the guy, and I hope he gets it together. Absolutely. For all I know he's a great human being with forgivable flaws. Heck, I hope he goes to the Celtics and becomes a great draft steal, of course! But I don't see any evidence that he's a victim of social sitgmas. He's been acting like a fool and hopefully he stops.

[CelticGuardian]

"We all know DeAndre Jordan plays the green tambourine every once in a while, and Celtics fans are literally praying for this dude to come here... wow just wow, these social stigmas in sports."

Social stigmas in sports? I could care less if someone wants to drink a beer or smoke a joint on occasion (and one is not necessarily worse than the other). That doesn't mean there's any excuse for blowing relatively easy opportunities for huge success because you can't hold it together with an ounce of maturity. It's not like the guy is taking a thoughtful political stance on drug enforcement or something. He just doesn't feel like following rules or behaving like an adult, even to the level that 99% of 18 year-olds do. He's already cost himself millions of dollars.

I don't know the guy, and I hope he gets it together. Absolutely. For all I know he's a great human being with forgivable flaws. Heck, I hope he goes to the Celtics and becomes a great draft steal, of course! But I don't see any evidence that he's a victim of social sitgmas. He's been acting like a fool and hopefully he stops.

The whole bit with the stigmas is to downplay the whole logic that these colleges and some fans have employed to make his harmless habit/hobby be looked as a trait of a "disruptive" person, he was a headcase in college... but the marijuana was probably the biggest off-court liability the colleges were facing so why wouldn't they point towards that as the "reason"(they didn't mention anything else). But he looks more mature and speaks with the confidence of someone that understands the task ahead, so we'll see.

 I have a good feeling about this kid coming HERE, in particular. I know Stevens will get in his head.

[tarheelsxxiii]

take this post with whatever level of salt you wish. i played the video above of upshaw to my friend, who was trained in clinical psychology and analyses people's faces very, very well.

she watched upshaw and said the following:

1. he is not a bad guy at all. no darkness or evil inside him.

2. he could not make prolonged eye contact and looked away frequently, which she read here as signaling a severe lack of self-confidence. such a lack often plays out with poor behavioral decisions.

3. he doesnt believe that people trust him, which feeds on his lack of self-confidence.

there you go. a quick and dirty, but professional, personality reading based upon a single interview. 

my take away is that this kid is NOT some dark and evil soul. he has made bad choices, but he can learn. he needs structure and guidance, not unusual at all there.

heck, i wouldnt mind ainge rolling the dice on him. CBS may be perfect for him.

On the cusp of finishing my Ph.D. in Psychology, and was so taken by your post. My immediate reaction to the OP was: bring a psychologist to the interview, assess for any and all psychological issues, and act accordingly. Agree with others that 16 is likely too risky, and after seeing Booker show the best time on the Agility Drill, I would be happy to draft him at 16. But at 28, if our assessment of his character is fairly positive, I would definitely take a flyer on him. #50 prediction to me seems ludicrous, btw... despite significant questions about his character, there is no way someone with his size, potential, and current (albeit raw) skill set would possibly drop that low. You would be comparing him to CBloggers.

[hwangjini_1]

Robert Upshaw was suspended twice in his freshman year at Fresno State, before being banished for good after two suspensions didn't get the message through.  At the same time, Robert Upshaw was the highest-rated recruit EVER at Fresno State.  They beat out schools like Arizona, UCLA, and Louisville for him.  To banish him after a year must tell you how much of a bad influence he was.  Having a guy like Upshaw around to dominate a smaller conference like the WAC produces the type of success that earns coaches large extensions or jobs at higher-profile schools.  That Fresno State decided, in less than a year, that they were better without him says a ton.

The following year, Upshaw landed at Washington.  Due to NCAA transfer rules, he had to sit out the season.  Halfway through that  season, in which he was only allowed to practice, and not play, the coach told him to stay away from the team.  Then this year, despite being a completely dominant center, he was again kicked off the team in the middle of the season.

This isn't a player who would be getting a second chance.  He arguably wouldn't be getting a third chance.  He's literally been kicked off his team three years in a row.  NBA coaches don't have time to deal with that sort of nonsense playing 4 games in four cities over five days.  Taking him at #16 overall would be pure folly, and at 28 would probably be regrettable.

Also, he's talented, but let's be clear -- even if he didn't get kicked off his team for the second time, he would be lucky to be picked before #10.  You're not talking about getting someone with the talent and athleticism of Karl-Anthony Towns but with character flaws.  You're talking about getting someone who's around Myles Turner level, but with character flaws.  The value simply isn't there at 16 for the outsized risk that he brings with him.

People can change attributes about themselves with due effort. I think Upshaw can be our answer to our rim protection need, he can even shoot a little bit too. At the combine, I didn't see a trace of this terrible kid that everyone is making him out to be, he actually is saying some of the right things when he mentions he's "surrounding himself with the right people", one of those people is no other than Celtics legend, Bill Walton.
Who opened up to Upshaw about his own drug addiction:

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/will-nba-teams-be-willing-take-chance-robert-upshaw

I think the scene is playing itself out for Upshaw to really be an impact player if he keeps his head straight and off the weed, and that is accomplished by, as Robert said himself, surrounding himself by good influences, namely Brad Stevens. And also if he doesn't let the rookie contract money at #16 fool him into not maximazing his opportunity in the NBA.

It's the draft, there's suppose to be a risk/reward aspect, no player is a sure thing until they place a foot onto the hardwood floor.

Sure, people can change.  But its naïve to think that after years of being a Grade-A moron that he's put it all together so much in three months that he's ready to earn $3.7 million in two years and not let it get to his head.  I'm rooting for him to succeed, because it sounds like if he weren't really tall and athletic, and people who were really tall and athletic didn't get paid millions to play basketball, he'd be in for a lot of trouble the rest of his life.  And I truly hate to see that if anyone.  But at the same time, it is about risk-reward, as you said.  As the risk goes up, either the reward should too, or the price should go down.  From an off-the-court perspective, he is by far the riskiest player.  But if he's a top 10 player on the court, he's #10, and not number 5 or even number 7.  Accordingly, with that level of risk, the price needs to drop, and dropping to 16 is really still quite overpriced, given the risk that he not only flames out, but hurts team chemistry in the process.

This sounds like the argument to take Royce White all over again.  We all saw how well that worked out.

That's just uncalled for, I'm sensing some real disdain for this dude that's borderline irrational. He was let go for smoking weed not because he couldn't hold down a job.

And with that logic, you would think he would want to continue performing and do what is asked of him or else those millions will stop coming his way by his 3rd year. I think even he's smart enough to figure that one out, or else he wouldn't have come to the combine the way he did. He would've just let whoever draft him, draft him and just take THAT pay day... but he isn't looking to do that is he?

I think the irrationalty is coming from your end.  He was suspended twice by one scholarship program and then kicked out.  He was then suspended by his second program, and then kicked out.  There were many reported instances of disruptive behavior at practices.  He was not kicked out "just for weed".  It takes FOUR positive tests to be dismissed from his school, assuming he cooperated with the post-positive test rules after his first three (meeting with parent of guardian, going to counseling sessions, etc.). That means he either tested positive four times in less than 18 months, or refused to comply with the relativey lenient requirements after positive test 1-3 (there are no mandatory suspensions, for instance).  He has yet to show any indication that he's learned from the consequences of his actions.  Of course, when he was dismissed, the University said it was for a violation of team rules, which could be drugs or some other behavior.  He's said it was weed, but they've remained silent as far as I can tell.

He's not a guy who's made a mistake, or two mistakes, or even three mistakes.  He's someone who, for three straight years, made an increasing series of mistakes that got him kicked out of two colleges, despite being the most talented player on the team.  That takes a lot of screw-ups, and there's little reason to expect that he's somehow completely changed his life in 3 months just because his agent says so.

So he didn't commit to his school, so what?

He knows this "path to the NBA" game, dude.

Picture yourself in college, but only this time you are the big man on campus at 19 years old... the school makes money when you play, but are they paying you? ... NOPE, so how much are you going to care when the school starts making a fuzz about your habit?

 In that circumstance you would think you are untouchable, like what is the school going to do, get rid of their best player?! ... well it just happens that in that same circumstance the school would not leave the ball in the player's court for long(a lot of puns here... where they intended?)...

For you to think his reaction to an NBA franchise that's going to pay him millions, is going to be similar to some college he was just using to display his ball skills shows me where this irrationality stems from.

And like I said



"We all know DeAndre Jordan plays the green tambourine every once in a while, and Celtics fans are literally praying for this dude to come here... wow just wow, these social stigmas in sports."

so you agree that upshaw is immature and currently makes poor decisions based upon immediate self-interest? dude?

[hwangjini_1]

take this post with whatever level of salt you wish. i played the video above of upshaw to my friend, who was trained in clinical psychology and analyses people's faces very, very well.

she watched upshaw and said the following:

1. he is not a bad guy at all. no darkness or evil inside him.

2. he could not make prolonged eye contact and looked away frequently, which she read here as signaling a severe lack of self-confidence. such a lack often plays out with poor behavioral decisions.

3. he doesnt believe that people trust him, which feeds on his lack of self-confidence.

there you go. a quick and dirty, but professional, personality reading based upon a single interview. 

my take away is that this kid is NOT some dark and evil soul. he has made bad choices, but he can learn. he needs structure and guidance, not unusual at all there.

heck, i wouldnt mind ainge rolling the dice on him. CBS may be perfect for him.

On the cusp of finishing my Ph.D. in Psychology, and was so taken by your post. My immediate reaction to the OP was: bring a psychologist to the interview, assess for any and all psychological issues, and act accordingly. Agree with others that 16 is likely too risky, and after seeing Booker show the best time on the Agility Drill, I would be happy to draft him at 16. But at 28, if our assessment of his character is fairly positive, I would definitely take a flyer on him. #50 prediction to me seems ludicrous, btw... despite significant questions about his character, there is no way someone with his size, potential, and current (albeit raw) skill set would possibly drop that low. You would be comparing him to CBloggers.

tarheels, first and foremost, congrats, congrats, congrats on wrapping up the D and finishing. it is a long, hard journey and you have my deep respect.

next, good call on having a professional check upshaw out. ha, i am sure danny already has a few lined up, but he might want to call in one or two more.  indeed, maybe you should drop him an email and let him know you are available.

[CelticGuardian]

Robert Upshaw was suspended twice in his freshman year at Fresno State, before being banished for good after two suspensions didn't get the message through.  At the same time, Robert Upshaw was the highest-rated recruit EVER at Fresno State.  They beat out schools like Arizona, UCLA, and Louisville for him.  To banish him after a year must tell you how much of a bad influence he was.  Having a guy like Upshaw around to dominate a smaller conference like the WAC produces the type of success that earns coaches large extensions or jobs at higher-profile schools.  That Fresno State decided, in less than a year, that they were better without him says a ton.

The following year, Upshaw landed at Washington.  Due to NCAA transfer rules, he had to sit out the season.  Halfway through that  season, in which he was only allowed to practice, and not play, the coach told him to stay away from the team.  Then this year, despite being a completely dominant center, he was again kicked off the team in the middle of the season.

This isn't a player who would be getting a second chance.  He arguably wouldn't be getting a third chance.  He's literally been kicked off his team three years in a row.  NBA coaches don't have time to deal with that sort of nonsense playing 4 games in four cities over five days.  Taking him at #16 overall would be pure folly, and at 28 would probably be regrettable.

Also, he's talented, but let's be clear -- even if he didn't get kicked off his team for the second time, he would be lucky to be picked before #10.  You're not talking about getting someone with the talent and athleticism of Karl-Anthony Towns but with character flaws.  You're talking about getting someone who's around Myles Turner level, but with character flaws.  The value simply isn't there at 16 for the outsized risk that he brings with him.

People can change attributes about themselves with due effort. I think Upshaw can be our answer to our rim protection need, he can even shoot a little bit too. At the combine, I didn't see a trace of this terrible kid that everyone is making him out to be, he actually is saying some of the right things when he mentions he's "surrounding himself with the right people", one of those people is no other than Celtics legend, Bill Walton.
Who opened up to Upshaw about his own drug addiction:

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/will-nba-teams-be-willing-take-chance-robert-upshaw

I think the scene is playing itself out for Upshaw to really be an impact player if he keeps his head straight and off the weed, and that is accomplished by, as Robert said himself, surrounding himself by good influences, namely Brad Stevens. And also if he doesn't let the rookie contract money at #16 fool him into not maximazing his opportunity in the NBA.

It's the draft, there's suppose to be a risk/reward aspect, no player is a sure thing until they place a foot onto the hardwood floor.

Sure, people can change.  But its naïve to think that after years of being a Grade-A moron that he's put it all together so much in three months that he's ready to earn $3.7 million in two years and not let it get to his head.  I'm rooting for him to succeed, because it sounds like if he weren't really tall and athletic, and people who were really tall and athletic didn't get paid millions to play basketball, he'd be in for a lot of trouble the rest of his life.  And I truly hate to see that if anyone.  But at the same time, it is about risk-reward, as you said.  As the risk goes up, either the reward should too, or the price should go down.  From an off-the-court perspective, he is by far the riskiest player.  But if he's a top 10 player on the court, he's #10, and not number 5 or even number 7.  Accordingly, with that level of risk, the price needs to drop, and dropping to 16 is really still quite overpriced, given the risk that he not only flames out, but hurts team chemistry in the process.

This sounds like the argument to take Royce White all over again.  We all saw how well that worked out.

That's just uncalled for, I'm sensing some real disdain for this dude that's borderline irrational. He was let go for smoking weed not because he couldn't hold down a job.

And with that logic, you would think he would want to continue performing and do what is asked of him or else those millions will stop coming his way by his 3rd year. I think even he's smart enough to figure that one out, or else he wouldn't have come to the combine the way he did. He would've just let whoever draft him, draft him and just take THAT pay day... but he isn't looking to do that is he?

I think the irrationalty is coming from your end.  He was suspended twice by one scholarship program and then kicked out.  He was then suspended by his second program, and then kicked out.  There were many reported instances of disruptive behavior at practices.  He was not kicked out "just for weed".  It takes FOUR positive tests to be dismissed from his school, assuming he cooperated with the post-positive test rules after his first three (meeting with parent of guardian, going to counseling sessions, etc.). That means he either tested positive four times in less than 18 months, or refused to comply with the relativey lenient requirements after positive test 1-3 (there are no mandatory suspensions, for instance).  He has yet to show any indication that he's learned from the consequences of his actions.  Of course, when he was dismissed, the University said it was for a violation of team rules, which could be drugs or some other behavior.  He's said it was weed, but they've remained silent as far as I can tell.

He's not a guy who's made a mistake, or two mistakes, or even three mistakes.  He's someone who, for three straight years, made an increasing series of mistakes that got him kicked out of two colleges, despite being the most talented player on the team.  That takes a lot of screw-ups, and there's little reason to expect that he's somehow completely changed his life in 3 months just because his agent says so.

So he didn't commit to his school, so what?

He knows this "path to the NBA" game, dude.

Picture yourself in college, but only this time you are the big man on campus at 19 years old... the school makes money when you play, but are they paying you? ... NOPE, so how much are you going to care when the school starts making a fuzz about your habit?

 In that circumstance you would think you are untouchable, like what is the school going to do, get rid of their best player?! ... well it just happens that in that same circumstance the school would not leave the ball in the player's court for long(a lot of puns here... where they intended?)...

For you to think his reaction to an NBA franchise that's going to pay him millions, is going to be similar to some college he was just using to display his ball skills shows me where this irrationality stems from.

And like I said



"We all know DeAndre Jordan plays the green tambourine every once in a while, and Celtics fans are literally praying for this dude to come here... wow just wow, these social stigmas in sports."

so you agree that upshaw is immature and currently makes poor decisions based upon immediate self-interest? dude?

Stop reaching... please... the situation is overblown... I don't want watch college basketball I don't care if he didn't respect it when he was a player. I just care that he respects my Celtics and the NBA game.

[CoachBo]

Ordinarily, I wouldn't worry about Ainge wasting a draft choice on the airliner full of baggage that is Upshaw.

But Ainge loves him some tall stiffs - Robert Swift, Yi (Why?), Patrick O'Bryant, Fab Melo, etc.

But I do find some humor in the miscast notion above that money cures character flaws - when the facts are quite the opposite. Money exacerbates flawed character, because it serves as an enabler. The idea that Upshaw would respect the pro game because of his paycheck is categorically rejected here.

The answer to the OP - absolutely not at 16, and probably not at 28.

I personally hope we don't use either pick, sending them out for immediate help.

[Eddie20]

Chris Mannix-

• Ex-Washington center Robert Upshaw is a physical specimen. He measured in at 7’0”, 258 pounds with a 7’5” wingspan at the combine. And his shot blocking numbers last season—he averaged 4.5 blocks per game—are staggering. But Upshaw’s past—he was dismissed from Washington in January, just two years after being dismissed from Fresno State, for drug violations—is sticking to him. Several NBA executives said they wouldn’t touch Upshaw in the first round; the second round could be a stretch. Upshaw has hired a life coach and has been working out at the famed P3 gym in Santa Barbara. But it’s unlikely any team will guarantee him any money.

So that means he thinks it's unlikely he goes in the 1st rd.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Chris Mannix-

• Ex-Washington center Robert Upshaw is a physical specimen. He measured in at 7’0”, 258 pounds with a 7’5” wingspan at the combine. And his shot blocking numbers last season—he averaged 4.5 blocks per game—are staggering. But Upshaw’s past—he was dismissed from Washington in January, just two years after being dismissed from Fresno State, for drug violations—is sticking to him. Several NBA executives said they wouldn’t touch Upshaw in the first round; the second round could be a stretch. Upshaw has hired a life coach and has been working out at the famed P3 gym in Santa Barbara. But it’s unlikely any team will guarantee him any money.

So that means he thinks it's unlikely he goes in the 1st rd.

I respect Mannix's opinion, but I doubt this. Because of these names.

Hornets
Mavs
Blazers
Grizzlies
Spurs
Lakers

Outside of the Spurs, who just knows how to take talent when they see them, all of those teams have Free Agent Centers. The uncertainty of not being able to resign their own Centers could very well make them take a shot at Upshaw in the 20's. And all those teams pick before us.

[Celtics18]

I seriously suspect that Robert Upshaw's personal demons go well beyond simply smoking marijuana.

My guess, and it's of course just a guess, is that he most likely has a serious drug addiction to much harder drugs. 

Honestly, and this may be completely unfair, he looked kind of coked up to me in the recent pre-draft interview where he talked about turning his life around.

If what I suspect is in fact the case, I feel bad for him.  It's likely going to be a tough road for him if he can't kick whatever habit he has. 

I hope for his sake that he gets some help and is able to sort out his life, but I'm not sure I want him to try to do it as a member of the Boston Celtics.

[Roy H.]

Here's a fairly comprehensive look at Upshaw:

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaab/eye-on-college-basketball/25010285/robert-upshaws-draft-prospects-have-more-questions-than-answers

[Eja117]

I don't exactly blame the Celts for going after him with 28. I mean Upshaw at 28 or Giddens at 30? I'd take Upshaw.

But it's pretty concerning this guy knew he was screwing up his pro prospects and kept choosing to make the exact same mistakes again and again.

I don't think you can put him in the NBDL and expect good things very easily.

I feel like you have to earn your way into the NBA and he has only really done so via some talent and measurements.

[loco_91]

Chris Mannix-

• Ex-Washington center Robert Upshaw is a physical specimen. He measured in at 7’0”, 258 pounds with a 7’5” wingspan at the combine. And his shot blocking numbers last season—he averaged 4.5 blocks per game—are staggering. But Upshaw’s past—he was dismissed from Washington in January, just two years after being dismissed from Fresno State, for drug violations—is sticking to him. Several NBA executives said they wouldn’t touch Upshaw in the first round; the second round could be a stretch. Upshaw has hired a life coach and has been working out at the famed P3 gym in Santa Barbara. But it’s unlikely any team will guarantee him any money.

So that means he thinks it's unlikely he goes in the 1st rd.

I think people are way too harsh on Upshaw. He displayed poor judgement as a 20-year-old, but we're talking smoking weed, not punching his girlfriend or something. I haven't seen any evidence of real character flaws. I think you put extra emphasis on the interview, and if he comes across well then you pick him at 16. If not, you still pick him at 28 if he's still there.

[Evantime34]

Chris Mannix-

• Ex-Washington center Robert Upshaw is a physical specimen. He measured in at 7’0”, 258 pounds with a 7’5” wingspan at the combine. And his shot blocking numbers last season—he averaged 4.5 blocks per game—are staggering. But Upshaw’s past—he was dismissed from Washington in January, just two years after being dismissed from Fresno State, for drug violations—is sticking to him. Several NBA executives said they wouldn’t touch Upshaw in the first round; the second round could be a stretch. Upshaw has hired a life coach and has been working out at the famed P3 gym in Santa Barbara. But it’s unlikely any team will guarantee him any money.

So that means he thinks it's unlikely he goes in the 1st rd.

I think people are way too harsh on Upshaw. He displayed poor judgement as a 20-year-old, but we're talking smoking weed, not punching his girlfriend or something. I haven't seen any evidence of real character flaws. I think you put extra emphasis on the interview, and if he comes across well then you pick him at 16. If not, you still pick him at 28 if he's still there.

Have they officially announced what he got kicked off of two teams for? I doubt it's just smoking weed.