I think I speak for many Raptors fans when I say that watching the Jamal Shead experience unfold over these last few months has been a very pleasant sight.
No rookie season is perfect, and that’s the whole purpose of transitioning from college to the pro ranks; adversity is inevitable. Shead has faced his share of challenges this season. He’s always been a hustler and a game-time competitor ready to tackle any opposition, but he has experienced some inconsistent performances while trying to carve out a solid role in the lineup.
Well, there's nothing that signifies you're an important piece to the Raptors, quite like Jamal Shead securing a notable accolade in his career and the franchise history books.
In the Raptors' last outing on April 6 against the Brooklyn Nets, Shead recorded an important stat late in his rookie campaign, continuing to build on what has already been a tremendous second half of the season for the former Houston Cougar.
His shooting efficiency on the night wasn't great, with a 27% field goal percentage, but you can't judge Shead's effectiveness based solely on that.
He made up for it in other ways.
Shead reached a new career-high with 12 assists in the matchup against the Nets, and his impressive team-high +31 in plus/minus serves as a reminder of how crucial the 22-year-old guard is to the Raptors' success, even if this season hasn’t been a winning one.
Before the Nets-Raptors broadcast on Sportsnet, a graphic displayed the most assists by a rookie in Raptors history. Jamal Shead had already secured the second all-time spot with 290 assists, surpassing Jose Calderon, who had 288, and Scottie Barnes, who had 256.
Raptors rookie Jamal Shead makes history with assists
At the top of the list is former Rookie of the Year Damon Stoudamire, who holds an incredible all-time record of 653 assists from his 1995-96 campaign. Still, for Shead to etch his name among these northern greats is a remarkable achievement in its own right.
His breakout performance in the Nets game, where he set a new career high in assists, pushed him into the 300+ assists territory—he now has 302 recorded assists in his 2024-25 rookie year.
In fact, as Esfandiar Baraheni on X would note:
Jamal Shead has 104 assists since March 1st
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) April 6, 2025
#1 Assist/TO ratio among rookies in that time
While the season may be winding down, Shead has the potential to add to that total as he wraps up what is already a historic run for someone small in stature but big in heart. I guess the next chapter is waiting to see if Shead’s promising rookie run earns him a spot on an All-Rookie team at the end of the season.
Regardless of what happens, the future looks bright with the assist machine Jamal Shead firmly embedded in the Raptors' plans moving forward.