It’s been pretty obvious the impact Jamal Shead has had on the Houston Cougars basketball team this year, given he’s been the best player on a team that’s been ranked No. 1 in the country and won the hardest conference during the regular season, the Big 12.
Shead was named the Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year in the Big 12 and likely has a future in the NBA.
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But stretching it beyond this year, we want to get your thoughts, Houston sports fans. Where does Shead rank among the list of greatest professional or college athletes in Houston?
It’s not a stretch to have Shead on that list in some capacity. Consider the traits he has shown:
- Leadership. UH head coach Kelvin Sampson, who has been around coaching for more than four decades, has called Shead the greatest leader he’s ever coached. Shead certainly showed that on Sunday in a second round NCAA tournament game against Texas A&M. After the Cougars blew a late 10-point lead and saw Texas A&M force overtime with a game-tying 3-pointer just before regulation ended, Shead willed his team to victory in the overtime despite seeing four of his teammates foul out.
- Class. Back when he was a sophomore, a video of Shead went viral in a good way. The video showed him picking up trash on the court at the end of a tough loss at Alabama after a teammate dumped a garbage can on the floor in frustration.
- Toughness. Shead has been one of the country’s best players this year despite battling an assortment of injuries, including his knee, hand and shin.
- Talent. As mentioned above, there’s a reason why Shead was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. He does it all for the Cougars.
Given all that, what do you think, Houston sports fans? Where should Shead be ranked among the city’s all-time greatest athletes? Let us know below.