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Los Angeles Lakers Summer League Review: The Rookies

By Jackson Sanders

Jul 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1), forward Larry Nance, Jr., (7) and center Robert Upshaw (12) looks on during an NBA Summer League game against the Knicks at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 13, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1), forward Larry Nance, Jr., (7) and center Robert Upshaw (12) looks on during an NBA Summer League game against the Knicks at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 10, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Robert Upshaw (12) reacts after a call during an NBA Summer League game against Minnesota at Thomas & Mack Center. Minnesota won the game 81-68. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 10, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Robert Upshaw (12) reacts after a call during an NBA Summer League game against Minnesota at Thomas & Mack Center. Minnesota won the game 81-68. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

Robert Upshaw … got his last shot.

Coming into Summer League, many fans were hyped about undrafted rookie big man Robert Upshaw. As of right now, it looks like he will be a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015-16.

So, though no deal is official, it looks like — pending good behavior — Upshaw will find himself at Lakers training camp in the fall. It’s important to stress the “pending good behavior” caveat, given Upshaw’s personal issues that have derailed him in the past.

For now, Upshaw’s Summer League involvement seems to have earned him his last shot in the world of professional basketball. He admitted that blowing his shot with the Lakers would likely snuff out any chance he had to spark an NBA career. But, so far, so good for the talented shot-blocker.

His playing time in the Summer League was limited — most likely due to poor conditioning after being out of organized basketball for so long — but he did enough things right to earn a chance this fall.

For the Lakers, Upshaw is an extremely intriguing talent due to his size (7-feet) and shot blocking ability, which was on display against the first overall pick, Karl-Anthony Towns.

With a center rotation that will feature two free-agents-to-be in Roy Hibbert and Tarik Black, and a major question mark in Robert Sacre, developing Upshaw makes all the sense in the world for the Lakers. A two-year pact that allows them to stash him away in the D-League for a year or so could pay major dividends if he turns out.

For Upshaw, Summer League earned him a chance to see out his dreams. And make good on his final shot at fulfilling that dream.

Next: NBA Draft: Best Player Ever Selected in all 60 Spots

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