UH guard Jamal Shead heading to Raptors after NBA Draft trade

CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 01: Jamal Shead #1 of the Houston Cougars handles the ball against the Xavier Musketeers at Cintas Center on December 01, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) (G Fiume, 2023 G Fiume)

A standout guard at the University of Houston is heading north of the border.

On Thursday, Jamal Shead was selected 45th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. However, the rights to the No. 45 pick were sent to the Toronto Raptors earlier today in a trade for veteran forward Jalen McDaniels. That means Shead is a Raptor.

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A native of Manor, Texas, Shead spent four years playing college basketball for the Cougars. In his senior season, he averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. During that season, he was also named a consensus first-team All-American, Big 12 Player of the Year, and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

After his decorated senior campaign, Shead announced his intention to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft in an exclusive interview with KPRC 2′s Chancellor Johnson.

Shead will join a Raptors squad in the middle of a rebuild under second-year coach Darko Rajaković. Shead will develop among several other promising talents, including Scottie Barnes, Gradey Dick and RJ Barrett.


About the Author

Michael is a Kingwood native who loves shooting hoops, visiting local breweries and overreacting to Houston sports. He joined the KPRC family in the spring of 2024. He earned his B.A. from Texas A&M University in 2022 and his M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2023.

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