Jamal Shead will find himself among some familiar faces on the Toronto Raptors, having spent four successful years at Houston where he became the program’s most successful player, contributing to a remarkable 120-18 record. The Raptors selected him 45th overall last month, citing similarities to Fred VanVleet and Kyle Lowry in his style, which appealed to them. Shead, who turns 22 soon, is set to play for Toronto in the Las Vegas Summer League, beginning with a game against Oklahoma City this Saturday.
During his college career, Shead frequently faced off against the Baylor Bears, a Big 12 rival. Interestingly, he will now be teammates with Baylor’s standout freshman Ja’Kobe Walter in Las Vegas, where both were drafted by the Raptors (Walter 19th overall). Notably, Shead recently recorded a double-double in an overtime victory against Walter’s Baylor squad. Shead also gained experience early in his college career, appearing briefly in a Final Four semifinal loss against Davion Mitchell’s Bears, now with the Sacramento Kings.
Looking ahead, all three players—Shead, Mitchell, and Walter—could play crucial roles off the bench for Toronto. Shead, renowned for his defensive prowess (NCAA’s defensive player of the year and Big 12 player of the year), nearly secured a victory this year with a buzzer-beater that narrowly missed being counted due to timing. His consistent performance over the years has impressed Baylor head coach Scott Drew, who believes the Raptors made wise choices in acquiring Shead, Mitchell, and Walter this offseason, among other moves.
“In basketball, having players who can pass, dribble, shoot, and defend well makes a team stronger,” Drew commented to Postmedia. “Jamal is similar to Mitchell in many ways. Toronto clearly targeted teammates who are winners, hard workers, and coachable leaders. They’ve assembled a group that values camaraderie and commitment, which are essential to success in any team sport,” Drew added.
“In my opinion, they’ve earned an A plus for their draft selections,” Drew concluded.
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