Houston point guard, All-American and 2024 Naismith Defensive Player of the year Jamal Shead has opted to enter the NBA Draft and forgo his remaining eligibility.
Shead announced the news in a video posted to his instagram page on Thursday morning, saying “it’s my time to move on” so he can chase the ultimate dream of being a pro.
Shead is the classic Kelvin Sampson player at Houston. He’s of humble origins, a three-star recruit from Manor, Texas who rated just outside the top-150 in the On3 Industry Rankings back in the 2020 class. Even once he got to Houston, the success didn’t come immediately, but Shead came to develop as perhaps the best point guard in the country this past season.
On Houston’s 2021 Final Four squad, Shead was featured in a small role as a freshman averaging just over three points and less than 10 minutes per game. But as a sophomore, he became a regular starter and would average 10 points and five assists per game in both 2022 and 2023 — both terrific clubs, like the ’21 group.
2023-24 was Sampson’s best overall season yet in Houston. The Cougars did flame out in the Sweet 16 after a month’s worth of brutal injuries finally stacked up to a point that UH just couldn’t overcome, however, they were clearly one of the three best teams all season alongside UConn and Purdue — and Jamal Shead is reason No. 1.
En route to First Team AP All-American honors, Shead averaged 12.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game as the indispensable fulcrum of Houston’s operation on both ends of the court. When the Cougars needed a star to step up throughout the year, Shead was always that guy.
Unfortunately, though, Shead will be entering the draft waters at less than 100 percent after he was one of the slew of Houston payers to suffer an injury in March.
Shead turned his ankle late in the first half vs. Duke with just over six minutes to go until halftime of the Sweet 16 game. At that time, Houston held a 16-10 lead. But once their American point guard general left the game, the tides of the game turned in favor of Duke, who was able to withstand the Cougars long enough to pick up the three-point win and advance to the Elite Eight.
“Grade four sprain,” Sampson said of Shead postgame. “He is probably going to be out four to six weeks. That was a really tough locker room at halftime.”
Here’s to wishing for a healthy recovery and the best for Shead as he begins a well-deserved pro career.
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