Getty Images
With most of the media and fan attention on what the Los Angeles Lakers do with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, it’s easy to forget about the team’s other first-round pick. While the latter is a bit contingent upon the former, former Washington Huskies center Robert Upshaw is the one prospect likely to be available at No. 27 who stands out above the rest.
Upshaw excels in three things: finishing around the rim, cleaning up the glass and protecting the rim. He has surprisingly soft hands and extremely quick feet for a seven-foot colossus, allowing him to be a factor offensively despite lacking any sort of offensive refinement. He can’t shoot, pass or post — and that’s just fine, because he might be the most athletic big man in the draft, and definitely the best shot blocker. Andre Drummond and Rudy Gobert have shown how valuable a skill rim protection is, and Upshaw has that same sort of talent. He terrorized college offenses in the 19 games he played with the Huskies last year, blocking 4.5 shots while averaging only 2.1 fouls in under 25 minutes per game.
Obviously, Upshaw still has his flaws. In addition to his lack of offensive refinement, he was dismissed from both Fresno State and Washington for violations of team rules, widely rumored to be related to a possible marijuana habit. However, as far as off-court red flags for professional athletes go, an affinity for weed isn’t something that should deter the Lakers from taking a player with Upshaw’s kind of talent and potential with a pick that typically yields about seven win shares over the first five years, or roughly the to-date production of Jeremy Evans (and no, winning the Dunk Contest does not count towards win shares). To get a glimpse of Upshaw’s potential, consider that Drummond has produced 22.0 win shares through his first three years, or Gobert’s 9.3 win share sophomore campaign. The potential return on investment is massive.
Upshaw becomes even more appealing if the Lakers draft either D’Angelo Russell or Kristaps Porzingis with their first pick, something that has seemingly become more probable in recent days. While Upshaw’s skill set and position overlap with Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor, he would complement either Porzingis or Russell beautifully as a rim protector or a pick and roll partner. Furthermore, the Lakers’ current roster lacks a big with Upshaw’s combination of shot blocking and lateral quickness.
Even if the Lakers take a center with their first pick, Upshaw is still worth taking a flier on. Sitting on the bench for his first year or two could give him time to work on his weaknesses before being thrown into the fire. Players with his ability aren’t usually available late in the first round, and the Lakers would be wise to jump on that opportunity regardless of immediate fit.
