Upshaw not focused on school lists

Robert Upshaw is 6 feet 11 and 235 pounds and is still just a teenager even though many people confuse him with an NBA player. He's fine with all the attention even though it's misguided at this point.

"I walk around and people ask me for my autograph thinking I play for the (Golden State) Warriors," Upshaw said. "It's kind of fun."

Upshaw, from Fresno (Calif.) Edison, is talented enough to maybe one day play professionally but he's currently a 2012 prospect with lots of upside and potential - and he showed off those skills last weekend at the Double Pump May Tournament in Carson, Calif.

Not only does Upshaw have no problem finishing around the basket but he's become more athletic, more comfortable with his big frame and he's developed a solid mid-range jumper that can pull defenders away from the basket.

Upshaw played with the Double Pump 2012 team and dominated players his age. He was taller than everyone so offensive rebounding was no problem. But Upshaw also ran the floor well, showed off good footwork and continues to develop the reputation as one of the top rising juniors in the state of California.

The Fresno Edison standout was one of the better players at the Double Pump tournament in Las Vegas this spring and he performed well again at Cal State-Dominguez Hills last weekend. Many major programs will probably recruit him.

Still, Upshaw is not concerned with his recruitment. Because he's so young there is still a lot of time to get caught up in the process and that hasn't happened with him yet. Upshaw didn't even have a school list because he said he's just focused on getting better on the court.

It's safe to bet, though, that Upshaw will be recruited by many Pac-10 schools if not by programs across the country. Willing to travel anywhere for college, Upshaw said playing in the Pac-10 would be nice but he'd go anywhere he felt was the best fit. At this point he's much more focused on improving his game than top five lists.

"I'm not even paying attention to schools right now," Upshaw said. "I'm trying to get focused so I can go to school. I'm getting ready for high school ball, getting ready for school and then getting better at basketball at the same time.

"It's going to come. I know things are going to come to me so I don't worry about it as much. I'm worried about staying healthy so I can achieve that. I just play. Whether it's 5-foot-5 or 7-foot-5 I just want to play and reach new heights every time I'm on the court."