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Jamal Shead (Photo by Emilee Chinn\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Contrary to most professional basketball players, Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead<\/a> didn\u2019t watch many NBA games or college basketball growing up. So instead of looking up to a favorite player or star, he aspired to be like his older brother, Jaylen.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was a D-1 athlete who I paid attention to and modeled my whole game off of. He’s just a left-handed version of me now,\u201d Shead told RG Media in an exclusive interview before Toronto\u2019s 126-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n In his second season with the Raptors, Shead is pacing one of the best benches in the league. He\u2019s pushing the tempo, picking up full court defensively, and making the right plays. Shead\u2019s simple but effective approach has helped get his team to a 7-5 start.<\/p>\n It was on display Thursday night at Rocket Arena again, the same place he stifled his opponent on Halloween night. In that game, he had nine points and seven rebounds as a plus-10. But in Toronto\u2019s second matchup with the Cavs, Shead was a plus-15 with eight points and seven assists.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe changed our strategy, too,\u201d Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson said postgame. \u201cWe didn’t pick him up as high. We dropped on him and tried to pick him up lower just to keep him in front of us. But man, he’s a ball of energy.\u201d<\/p>\n What stands out about this particular evening is the job he did on Donovan Mitchell<\/a>. Shead spent 5:01 of game time on the six-time All-Star and forced three turnovers, per NBA Stats. He played with force and physicality on both ends of the floor. Stripping Mitchell after a defensive board and firming up against Evan Mobley<\/a> on a switch are the moments that popped.<\/p>\n During pregame, Atkinson likened the Raptors\u2019 ball pressure to the 40 Minutes of Hell Arkansas Razorbacks from 1994. Shead spearheads that effort, and that lifted the urgency and flipped the night for the visitors.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like that’s why I was drafted, to come in and disrupt, bring energy, and play a lot of good defense,\u201d Shead said. \u201cI think being in that space, and Coach Atkinson giving us some props, we’ve got to make sure that we go out there and do it, and make sure that we live up to the word that he put out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Locking up the Best<\/p>\n On opening night, Shead took on the challenge of limiting Trae Young. Attached for nearly three minutes to his assignment, he smothered the Atlanta Hawks\u2019 franchise player, who was scoreless on only one shot attempt against Shead.<\/p>\n Just last week, on November 8, the Raptors entrusted him with Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey. According to NBA Courtside, in 6:18 of matchup time, Shead held him without a field goal on three tries.\u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s a distinct role he\u2019s playing for this Toronto squad, and it\u2019s been critical to the group\u2019s success.<\/p>\n \u201cOur front office did a great job in the draft recognizing what type of player he is, what kind of energy he brings,\u201d Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic shared with RG in his pregame press conference. \u201cHe’s the guy that, his energy, he has such a huge influence on our team. He plays defense with joy, and he’s a winner, he’s a competitor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have a point of contact on defense that plays that way, that really affects everybody else in a positive way. We’re really lucky and blessed to have him on our team and to grow him and grow here with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Offensively, Shead does a great job of advancing the ball and pinpointing passes in the paint. For example, he had one on Thursday where he drove from the left wing to the rim and left a beautiful backward bounce pass to a flushing Scottie Barnes. It started the second quarter with a momentum play, and the Raptors didn\u2019t look back.<\/p>\n Among those who have played at least 100 minutes this season, Shead ranks 13th in the NBA with a 36.3% assist percentage, according to Basketball Reference.<\/p>\n