Salem Capitals: Bringing Community On and Off the Court
After playing professional basketball overseas for nearly a decade, Robert Upshaw III brings his international experience to the Salem Capitals. Upshaws says the team stands out in its commitment to community involvement. By Rachel Hughes.
This story is sponsored by Fastsigns of Salem.
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Salem Capitals – https://salemcapitalsbasketball.com/
Robert Upshaw III – https://www.instagram.com/sixeightthegreat55/
Fastsigns of Salem – https://www.fastsigns.com/salem-or/
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After nearly a decade of playing professional basketball overseas, Robert Upshaw III brings his international experience to the Salem Capitals. You’re watching the Local News Network, brought to you by FASTSIGNS of Salem. I’m Sadie Smith. The Capitals signed the 29-year-old center in March 2025. Upshaw says the Capitals’ emphasis on connection and community sets it apart. Upshaw first played professionally in the National Basketball Association for the Defenders, a Los Angeles Lakers affiliate team. Upshaw has known Salem Capitals’ owner Jason Conrad for several years and reconnected with him while Upshaw was playing for the Seattle SuperHawks in 2024. Later that year, Upshaw moved to Taiwan to play in the Taiwan Professional Basketball League but had to return to the United States in December after a knee injury. While he was in recovery, Conrad offered him a spot on the Salem Capitals. The Salem Capitals and Seattle SuperHawks are professional club teams that are similar to baseball’s minor league that emphasizes community involvement and player development.
For the last almost nine years, I’ve been playing professionally overseas. So I haven’t really had a chance to be home and be in a community space to push, you know, what I’ve learned about basketball, my experiences, things that I’ve gone through that I’ve overcome just to get to where I am. And so being presented with the opportunity to come here to play for the Salem Capitals was a no-brainer.
In addition to playing basketball, Upshaw sees the team as his chance to reconnect with the Salem-Keizer community through meet and greets and other outreach events.
Overseas basketball is a lot different. There’s not really a community base. You’re kind of a foreigner in a new space when you’re overseas, not being from that country. The difference is, here in Salem, it’s one of the first times I’ve ever been on a team where it put so much effort into being in the community.
Founded in 2022 with the motto, “Professional basketball with a personal touch,” the Salem Capitals give athletes an opportunity to play and families to have fun while keeping the community engaged, entertained, and energized. During halftime, fans are invited onto the court to dance.
The things that I think we do here for the Capitals are the best in the country. And it’s all done through love. It’s all done through support. It’s all done through, you know, the appreciation to have this opportunity to be here.
Upshaw hopes his experience inspires others, especially young players.
The biggest advice I could give is just never give up. Myself, I’ve been through a lot of hardships in basketball, injuries, off-the-court issues, self-doubt. But one thing I never did is I never gave up, and I never stopped putting the work in.
Home games are set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday May 9 and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday May 10 at the Salem Armory. For the full schedule, visit the Salem Capitals website. For more information about this and other stories, visit midvalleylocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Network. I’m Sadie Smith.
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