NBA D-League Player Zeke Upshaw Dies After Collapsing On Court

Zeke Upshaw, the Grand Rapids Drive player who collapsed on the court during a game Saturday, has died. He was 26.

“After continued efforts from the medical team at Spectrum Health, Zeke made his transition at 11:16 am,” Upshaw’s mother Jewel said in a statement. “To family, friends, teammates, coaches, fans & confidants, thank you for your prayers and support during this most difficult time.”

Upshaw collapsed with about 40 seconds remaining in the Drive’s 101-99 win over the Long Island Nets, the team’s NBA D-League regular-season finale. He played with the Drive for two seasons. The team did not release the reason for his collapse and death.

Upshaw, a 6-foot-6 forward, played collegiate ball at Illinois State and Hofstra.