Zeke Upshaw, a player for the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA G League, was hospitalized in Michigan after a terrifying collapse during a game Saturday night.
Upshaw, a 6-foot-6 swingman, “was transported to Spectrum Hospital after collapsing on the court in the closing seconds” of the game, the team said in a statement. He “is currently under physicians care” and “out of respect to Zeke and his family, further updates will be provided when available.”
Tweets indicated that Upshaw had died, but the team corrected those shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday. Leon Hendrix, a reporter for WOOD-TV, tweeted that he had spoken with Upshaw’s mother “at 2:33 p.m. and she indicated that he was still in critical condition. Reports of his death began a few minutes later from multiple G League players.”
Sarah Jbara, a spokeswoman for the team, told mlive.com that Upshaw had collapsed with about 50 seconds left and was taken from the court on a stretcher. It is unclear whether he was conscious.
Upshaw, 26, scored 11 points in the game as the Drive earned a playoff spot with a 101-99 victory in the regular season finale against Long Island. Upshaw, who is in his second season with the Drive, played three seasons at Illinois State and finished his college career with a year at Hofstra.
Video of Upshaw’s collapse is graphic and frightening.
Check back for further updates.
