Jamal Shead

Deemed immediately pro-ready given his menacing defensive play and tireless drive, Jamal Shead didn’t let it be forgotten, the types of shots he could drift into, as well. Given one of the busier minute-by-minute slates for any rookie in the 2024 NBA Draft, the No. 45 pick shows full appreciation, immediately entering attack mode on a head-of-steam pick-and-roll that allows him to blur past Sam Merrill. Needing something both decisive and deceptive with Evan Mobley approaching, Shead entrusts a commonly-used tool in his collegiate bag, balancing into a hanging, soft-touch floater for his NBA career’s opening bucket. The Toronto Raptors would fall to a Cleveland Cavaliers team in the infancy stages of what would become a historically-hot start to 2024-25. Nonetheless productive, Shead, through 18 valuable minutes, helped instill Toronto’s defensive mentality, all the while recording 10 points, one rebound, four assists, one steal, and one 3-pointer on October 23, 2024.

Three-Star Rookie

Top Shot Debut