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‘Wrongful death’ lawsuit filed in death of Grand Rapids basketball player

Posted at 9:08 AM, May 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-30 09:09:04-04

NEW YORK – The family of a Grand Rapids Drive basketball player who collapsed during a game in Grand Rapids and died two days later is filing a wrongful death lawsuit.

New York attorney Ben Crump made the announcement at 11:00 a.m.  You can read the whole document here.

Zeke Upshaw, 26, was playing for the Grand Rapids Drive at the Deltaplex Arena on March 24 when he collapsed in the final minute of the game. He died two days later.  The lawsuit alleges that there were no life-saving measures attempted, no CPR and a defibrillator was not used to help Upshaw.

Zeke Upshaw (Photo from Grand Rapids Drive Facebook page)

The lawsuit names the National Basketball Association, the Detroit Pistons Basketball Company and SSJ Group, the owners of the Grand Rapids Drive and the Deltaplex Arena as defendants.

The lawsuit is on behalf of Jewel Upshaw, Zeke’s mother.  Also joining in the lawsuit is Bob Hilliard, whose legal arguments brought Major League Baseball to expand protective netting at baseball stadiums.

Video of the game provided by the law firm: