Kelvin Upshaw

Kelvin Upshaw
Personal information
Born (1963-01-12) January 12, 1963 (age 61)
Chicago, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High schoolJohn Marshall (Chicago, Illinois)
College
NBA draft1986: undrafted
Playing career1986–1999
PositionShooting guard
Number10, 7, 5
Coaching career1999–2013
Career history
As player:
1986–1987Jacksonville/Mississippi Jets
1987West Palm Beach Stingrays
1987–1988Mississippi Jets
1988Rapid City Thrillers
1988Palm Beach Stingrays
1988–1989Albany Patroons
1989Miami Heat
1989Albany Patroons
1989Boston Celtics
1990Dallas Mavericks
1990Golden State Warriors
1990–1991Dallas Mavericks
1991Swift Mighty Meaties
1991–1992Bakersfield Jammers
1992Shell Rimula X
1992–1993Fort Wayne Fury
1993–1994Columbus Horizon
1994–1995Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia
1996–1997Quad City Thunder
1997–1999Komfort Stargard Szczec
As coach:
1999–2000Quad City Thunder (assistant)
2000–2001La Crosse Bobcats (assistant)
2001–2002Sioux Falls Skyforce
2002–2004North Charleston Lowgators (assistant)
2004–2005Dallas Mavericks (assistant)
2005–2006Gary Steelheads (assistant)
2006Harlem Globetrotters (assistant)
2012–2013Charlotte Christian School (asst. girls')
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Kelvin Parnell Upshaw (born January 24, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. He is a 6'2" (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) guard and played competitively at Chicago's Marshall High School, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and the University of Utah. He played 120 games in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1988 to 1991 averaging 5.4 ppg, 2.1 apg and 1.2 rpg in 12.6 mpg.

Upshaw played with the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics, the Golden State Warriors and with the Dallas Mavericks. He also played professionally in Stargard Szczeciński, Poland (Komfort Stargard Szczec[1][2]), Italy (Scavolini Pesaro),[3] Argentina, Philippines, and in the CBA with the Quad City Thunder, Albany Patroons, Rapid City and Jacksonville Jets. He was selected in the second round of the 1986 CBA Draft by the Jets.[4]

After spending the 1986–1987 season with the Jacksonville (later Mississippi) Jets, Upshaw signed with the West Palm Beach Stingrays of the USBL in the spring of 1987.[5] The Jets cut Upshaw on May 26, 1987, due to injury[6] but recalled Upshaw in late June.[7] Upshaw returned to the Mississippi Jets later in 1987 and was selected to the 1988 CBA All-Star Game.[8] Upshaw later played for the CBA's Rapid City Thrillers for the rest of the season.[9]

Upshaw signed with the Palm Beach Stingrays in June 1988.[9] Upshaw then played for the CBA's Albany Patroons for most of the 1988–1989 season. In January 1989, Upshaw signed with the NBA's Miami Heat. In two ten-day contracts with the Heat, Upshaw played in nine games and averaged 6.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists.[10] Upshaw re-joined the Patroons on February 7.[11] The NBA's Boston Celtics signed Upshaw in March 1989 to relieve the injured Ramón Rivas.[12] Upshaw played in 23 games for the Celtics averaging 6.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.[10] The Boston Globe noted at the time, "Upshaw has brought to Boston instant up-tempo offense along with tough, chest-to-chest defense against some of the league's best (Isiah Thomas, Mo Cheeks), as well as a certain sang froid in delivering the big jumper."[13]

A week after being waived, Upshaw re-signed with the Celtics on November 24, 1989, and was waived again on December 26, 1989. In 14 games at the beginning of the 1989–90 season with Boston, Upshaw averaged 7.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.[10]

Upshaw signed the first of two ten-day contracts with the Dallas Mavericks on January 6, 1990, and played three games with the Mavericks with very few minutes per game.[10] On February 28, 1990, Upshaw signed a season-long contract with the Golden State Warriors and averaged 5.6 points in 23 games.[10]

Upshaw signed with the Dallas Mavericks on November 12, 1990, and re-signed on December 29 five days after being waived. In 48 games, Upshaw had one start and averaged 5.6 points.[10]

In 1991, Upshaw played in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Swift Mighty Meaties then went on to join the CBA's Bakersfield Jammers and was traded to the Fort Wayne Fury in a dispersal draft after the Jammers folded.[14] In the summer of 1992, Upshaw returned to play in the Philippine Basketball Association this time with Shell Rimula X before joining the Fury. In February 1993, Upshaw left the Fury to spend time with his family and work at a youth center.[15]

Upshaw was meted a lifetime ban from the PBA for violating the league's anti-drug policy. But he gained notoriety with Filipino basketball fans for showing his butt to the crowd during a televised game in 1992.[16]

He has served as an assistant coach for the CBA's Gary Steelheads,[17] Quad City Thunder, LaCrosse Bobcats, and the NBDL's Charleston Lowgators.[18]

In 2004, he was named as player development coach for the Dallas Mavericks.[19]

References

  1. ^ Kelvin Upshaw profile -PolskiKosz.pl
  2. ^ Pro Exposure Report Posted December 19, 1997
  3. ^ "Legabasket". 77.208. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  4. ^ "Untitled". nbahoopsonline.com. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  5. ^ Camillone, Jude (May 19, 1987). "1,800 Watch 'rays Rally Past Gulls". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  6. ^ "Jammers Make Late Charge, Stingrays Hold On 116-108". sun-sentinel.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  7. ^ "Moten Leaves Stingrays, Will Wait For Nba Camp". sun-sentinel.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  8. ^ "Pats rally to beat Rockford, 103-100". Schenectady Gazette. January 19, 1988. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Stingrays Get Old Home, New Players". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. June 7, 1988. Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Kelvin Upshaw Stats - Basketball-Reference.com". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  11. ^ Wilkin, Tim (February 8, 1989). "Upshaw returns in time to lead Pats". Albany Times Union. Archived from the original on January 14, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  12. ^ "Celtics sign ex-Ute Upshaw". Deseret News. March 10, 1989. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  13. ^ MacMullan, Jackie (April 2, 1989). "How did everyone else miss out on Kelvin Upshaw?". Deseret News. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014. Originally published by The Boston Globe as "Credit Celtics with a steal; Signing Upshaw a timely maneuver."
  14. ^ "Sports shorts". Associated Press News. January 4, 1992. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  15. ^ Merz, Craig (November 30, 1993). "Upshaw took time to get his mind back on basketball". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  16. ^ staff, the (March 11, 2013). "Balkman joins Thompkins, Upshaw, Moten on list of banned PBA imports | SPIN.PH". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  17. ^ "Steelheads hire Upshaw as assistant coach". OurSportsCentral.com. October 20, 2005. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  18. ^ NBA.com: NBDL coach profile
  19. ^ Former Lowgators Assistant Takes Mavericks Position Archived 2007-10-04 at the Wayback Machine October 7, 2004