There are going to be a lot of eyes on many different players in this current Raptors squad, but one player I'm especially excited to watch next season is the now sophomore guard, Jamal Shead. He’s emerged as a hungry, eager talent, still very much a work in progress, but someone who could play a key role in Toronto’s new outlook.
As Raptors Media Day 2025 got underway earlier today, head coach Darko Rajakovic spoke about the former Houston player. He gave his likely lead bench guard a lot of praise in his comments. The third-year head coach was asked during the scrum: "What does it say about Jamal Shead that he's not even in the second year of his NBA career and he's taking on sort of a leadership role and and inviting people down to Austin [Texas] to train together?"
To which, Rajakovic replied, with a bit of humor to his opening statements, before going right to business:
Darko Rajakovic holds Jamal Shead in a very high regard
"Well, Jamal Shead is a great singer. He's the one leading Happy Birthday songs always and always brings a different interpretation. He's outspoken. He is a great leader because he leads by example and also he's not afraid to share what he sees with his teammates and everything that he does, it comes from a place of love and care. So all the players on the team, they recognize that and he's been great voice for us. You know, bringing guys to Austin [Texas], down there to work out and bring them to his home and meet with his family, all of that was just outstanding from a young player to do something like that."Darko Rajakovic on Jamal Shead
I think what really elevates Shead within the Raptors' pecking order is that, even though he's only entering his second year in the NBA, he brings a wealth of experience from trying to play at the highest level. His attention to detail, professionalism, and all the little things he does — going back to his college days — are qualities that give him the appearance of a more seasoned NBA veteran than he actually is.
Of course, there’s still room for improvement in his offensive game and keeping consistent with his efficiency. But as I mentioned earlier, Shead is poised to be a great project for the Raptors to develop and Rajakovic’s comments simply reinforce that Shead will be an important part of their plans moving forward. He’s clearly a great teammate, has solid rapport with everyone around him, and those positive relationships are key to building effective, winning chemistry.
I've always seen selflessness as a core value for the Toronto Raptors, and Shead exemplifies that trait perfectly.