Kelvin Upshaw facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 12, 1963 Chicago, Illinois |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | John Marshall (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 1986 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1986–1999 |
| Coaching career | 1999–2013 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1986–1987 | Jacksonville/Mississippi Jets |
| 1987 | West Palm Beach Stingrays |
| 1987–1988 | Mississippi Jets |
| 1988 | Rapid City Thrillers |
| 1988 | Palm Beach Stingrays |
| 1988–1989 | Albany Patroons |
| 1989 | Miami Heat |
| 1989 | Albany Patroons |
| 1989 | Boston Celtics |
| 1990 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1990 | Golden State Warriors |
| 1990–1991 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1991 | Swift Mighty Meaties |
| 1991–1992 | Bakersfield Jammers |
| 1992 | Shell Rimula X |
| 1992 | Winnipeg Thunder |
| 1992–1993 | Fort Wayne Fury |
| 1993–1994 | Columbus Horizon |
| 1994–1995 | Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia |
| 1996–1997 | Quad City Thunder |
| 1997–1999 | Komfort Stargard Szczec |
| As coach: | |
| 1999–2000 | Quad City Thunder (assistant) |
| 2000–2001 | La Crosse Bobcats (assistant) |
| 2001–2002 | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2002–2004 | North Charleston Lowgators (assistant) |
| 2004–2005 | Dallas Mavericks (assistant) |
| 2005–2006 | Gary Steelheads (assistant) |
| 2006 | Harlem Globetrotters (assistant) |
| 2012–2013 | Charlotte Christian School (asst. girls') |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Kelvin Parnell Upshaw, born on January 24, 1963, is an American former professional basketball player. He was a talented guard who stood 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 180 pounds. Kelvin played basketball in high school at Marshall High School in Chicago. He also played in college at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and the University of Utah.
Kelvin Upshaw played 120 games in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 1988 and 1991. During his time in the NBA, he averaged 5.4 points, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 rebounds per game. He played for several well-known NBA teams. These included the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics, the Golden State Warriors, and the Dallas Mavericks.
Contents
Early Career and CBA Success
Kelvin Upshaw started his professional basketball journey in the CBA. The CBA was a league where players often developed their skills before joining the NBA. In 1986, the Jacksonville Jets picked him in the second round of the CBA Draft.
Playing for the Jets
Kelvin spent the 1986–1987 season with the Jacksonville Jets. This team later became the Mississippi Jets. His strong defense earned him a spot on the CBA All-Defensive Second Team that season. In 1987, he also played for the West Palm Beach Stingrays in the USBL. He returned to the Mississippi Jets later in 1987. His excellent play led to him being chosen for the 1988 CBA All-Star Game. After that, he played for the Rapid City Thrillers for the rest of that season.
Moving to the Patroons
In June 1988, Upshaw signed with the Palm Beach Stingrays again. For most of the 1988–1989 season, he played for the Albany Patroons in the CBA. His performance was so good that he was selected to the All-CBA Second Team.
NBA Career Highlights
Kelvin Upshaw's talent in the CBA caught the attention of NBA teams. He had a chance to play for some famous franchises.
Time with the Miami Heat
In January 1989, Kelvin signed with the NBA's Miami Heat. He played in nine games for the Heat under two short-term contracts. During this time, he averaged 6.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. After his time with the Heat, he rejoined the Albany Patroons in February.
Joining the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics signed Kelvin Upshaw in March 1989. He helped the team when another player, Ramón Rivas, was injured. Kelvin played in 23 games for the Celtics. He averaged 6.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. The Boston Globe newspaper praised his play. They noted his fast offense and tough defense against top players like Isiah Thomas and Mo Cheeks. They also mentioned his calm way of making important shots.
Kelvin re-signed with the Celtics in November 1989. He played 14 games at the start of the 1989–1990 season. In these games, he averaged 7.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.
Playing for the Mavericks and Warriors
On January 6, 1990, Kelvin signed with the Dallas Mavericks. He played three games with them. Later, on February 28, 1990, he signed a contract for the rest of the season with the Golden State Warriors. He averaged 5.6 points in 23 games for the Warriors.
Kelvin returned to the Dallas Mavericks on November 12, 1990. He played 48 games for them, starting one game. He averaged 5.6 points during this period.
International and Later Career
After his NBA time, Kelvin Upshaw continued his professional basketball career overseas. He played in different countries around the world.
Playing Abroad
In 1991, Kelvin played in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Swift Mighty Meaties. He then returned to the CBA with the Bakersfield Jammers. When the Jammers team stopped playing, he was traded to the Fort Wayne Fury. In the summer of 1992, he played in the Philippines again for Shell Rimula X before rejoining the Fury. In February 1993, Kelvin left the Fury to spend more time with his family and work at a youth center. He also played professionally in Poland, Italy, and Argentina.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Kelvin Upshaw became a basketball coach. He served as an assistant coach for several teams.
- He was an assistant coach for the CBA's Gary Steelheads, Quad City Thunder, and LaCrosse Bobcats.
- He also coached in the NBDL for the North Charleston Lowgators.
- In 2004, the Dallas Mavericks named him their player development coach.
- He also served as an assistant coach for the Harlem Globetrotters in 2006.
- From 2012 to 2013, he was an assistant coach for the girls' basketball team at Charlotte Christian School.
See also
In Spanish: Kelvin Upshaw para niños
