There may not have been a goalie more ready for his professional debut this season than Toronto’s rookie Jamal Shead. Coming out of the University of Houston with the 45th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Shead is already an elite lockdown defender, which he showed off from the start. He was known for coming out of college, an attribute only helped by the fact that he played in Kelvin Sampson’s system, known for producing high-level players on that end of the floor. He was, after all, the 2023-24 Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-American.

What perhaps wasn’t as obvious was the offensive impact he would have, which is mostly due to his willingness to attack the basket with his handle. Although he had this ability in college and showed it in the preseason, it’s a different situation when he does it in a regular season game against entry-level players. . He scored 10 points on the night, going 3 of 7 from the field and hitting all three of his free throw attempts in his 19 minutes of floor time.

He found himself open for a three-point attempt on a Scottie Barnes assistance towards the end of the second quarter, which he drained, but demonstrated much more. The main thing that stood out in this game was his confidence, which usually takes a long time to develop as a first-year player in the NBA. It’s a testament to the training he received in the NCAA, as he played four seasons under one of the best minds in college basketball.

As Houston’s second winningest player, Shead has a knack for productivity that seems to have translated to the professional level in his intangibles. His basketball IQ and feel are elite on both ends, including his game, as he recorded four assists in addition to his double-digit scoring. On defense, his footwork is excellent, as he is able to stay in front of opposing ball carriers, constantly harassing whoever he is tasked to guard.

Another thing that helps is his screen navigation, as he is rarely far from his target despite only being 6-foot-1, which is helped by his 200-pound frame. In the clip above, he manages to stay in front of an elite rim attacker in Garland of Dariuskeeping him out of the paint by staying with him despite the flurry of attempted dribbles. He then passes the screen and follows the pass until Sam Merrillwho is also unable to get past the Toronto rookie and is forced to give a terrible look that misses.

While Shead may never be an elite threat at the NBA level, he is at the very least a very high-level player who can provide true perimeter defense against smaller guards. Given the number of light-footed point guards, this will be a huge advantage for Toronto when facing teams whose primary point guard relies on speed and finesse to get to the basket.

If there was an all-rookie team, Jamal Shead would be a leading candidate.

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