{"id":318953,"date":"2026-04-15T11:00:55","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T05:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=318953"},"modified":"2026-04-15T11:00:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T05:30:55","slug":"jamal-shead-model-of-consistency-for-raptors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/15\/jamal-shead-model-of-consistency-for-raptors\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamal Shead model of consistency for Raptors"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>TORONTO \u2013 Entering his sophomore NBA season, Jamal Shead knew there was one statistical category he wanted to guide the league in: games played.<\/p>\n<p>He got there Sunday, appearing in his 82nd game of the Toronto Raptors\u2019 season \u2014 one in every of just 18 players within the league to suit up in all 82 games in 2025-26. The second-year guard, who typically leads Toronto\u2019s second unit, said one in every of his off-season targets was to be a consistent presence within the Raptors\u2019 lineup.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI played in 76 last 12 months, so I knew I could get one other six out of myself,\u201d said the 23-year-old Shead by his locker at Scotiabank Arena. \u201cJust attempt to proceed to be in every game, just be available for this team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was one in every of my goals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shead averaged 6.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 1.7 rebounds over 22.6 minutes per game, starting 12 times. The Naismith Defensive Player of the 12 months for his senior season with the NCAA\u2019s Houston Cougars, he averaged 0.9 steals and 0.2 blocks for Toronto.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe medical staff are really awesome here,\u201d said Shead. \u201cThey take heed to my every need, and so they\u2019ve accommodated me after every game. Just ask me what I want, what I don\u2019t need.<\/p>\n<div class=\"l-article__part\" data-shortcode=\"related_videos\">\n<div class=\"l-inlineStories l-inlineStories--video\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"l-inlineStories__title\">Related Videos<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<section id=\"miniplayer-carousel\" class=\"l-videoCarousel l-videoCarousel--embed c-carousel\" data-video-carousel-play-inline=\"true\" data-video-carousel-init=\"false\" aria-label=\"Video carousel contains 10 videos.\">\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__inner\">\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__featured\">\n<div class=\"c-video c-videoPlay \" data-iframe-receiver=\"\" data-autoplay=\"\" data-displayinline-featured=\"true\" data-displayinline-type=\"video\" data-displayinline-player-id=\"miniplayer\" data-displayinline-video-id=\"11736470\" data-displayinline-ratio=\"16:9\" data-displayinline=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/embed\/playlist\/11736470,11520120,11519608,11499192,11272226,11267415,11265148,11264380,11194605,11009057\/?poster=https%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fmedia.globalnews.ca%2Fvideostatic%2Fnews%2Fi1cz8nprrt-1lb2c4wke3%2FRAPTORS_FAN_DAY_VMS.jpg%3Fw%3D1200%26quality%3D70%26strip%3Dall#autoplay&#038;stickyiframe=miniplayer\" data-displayinline-playlist=\"11736470,11520120,11519608,11499192,11272226,11267415,11265148,11264380,11194605,11009057\" data-displayinline-sticky=\"true\" data-permutive-data=\"{\"content\":{\"name\":\"Toronto Raptors hold annual March break fan day at Scotiabank Arena\",\"type\":\"video\",\"sections\":[\"videos\",\"barrie\",\"durham\",\"guelph\",\"hamilton\",\"kingston\",\"kitchener\",\"london\",\"national\",\"ottawa\",\"peterborough\",\"toronto\",\"canada\",\"sports\"],\"keywords\":[\"acc\",\"basketballs\",\"canadian-tire\",\"good-news\",\"jurassic-park\",\"nba\",\"nba-fan-days\",\"ontario\",\"raps\",\"raptors\",\"raptors-fan-day\",\"scotiabank-arena\",\"short-clip\",\"toronto-raptors\"],\"iab\":{\"categories\":[\"Sports\/Team Sports\/Basketball\",\"Sports\/College Sports\",\"News\",\"Sports\",\"News\/Sports News\",\"Sports\/Team Sports\"],\"tags\":[\"American Conference (NCAA)\",\"Arena\",\"Assist (basketball)\",\"Basketball\",\"Basketball positions\",\"Big 12 Conference\",\"Boston\",\"Boston Celtics\",\"Brandon Ingram\",\"Brooklyn\",\"Brooklyn Nets\",\"Cleveland\",\"Cleveland Cavaliers\",\"College basketball\",\"Cougar\",\"Darko Rajakoviu0107\",\"Elite Eight\",\"Hamstring\",\"Houston\",\"Houston Cougars\",\"Immanuel Quickley\",\"Jamal Shead\",\"Medical imaging\",\"National Basketball Association\",\"National Collegiate Athletic Association\",\"NBA playoffs\",\"NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament\",\"Neemias Queta\",\"Playoffs\",\"Pulled hamstring\",\"Rebound (basketball)\",\"RJ Barrett\",\"Scotiabank\",\"Scotiabank Arena\",\"Scottie Barnes\",\"Snake\",\"Steal (basketball)\",\"The Canadian Press\",\"Toronto\",\"Toronto Raptors\",\"Tournament\"]}}}\">\n<div class=\"c-video__inner \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__placeholder\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'Toronto Raptors hold annual March break fan day at Scotiabank Arena'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/i1cz8nprrt-1lb2c4wke3\/RAPTORS_FAN_DAY_VMS.jpg?w=1040&#038;quality=70&#038;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, \" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1040px) 1040px,(min-width: 720px) 720px,450px\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__overlay\"><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"c-video__duration\">1:08<\/time><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__title\">Toronto Raptors hold annual March break fan day at Scotiabank Arena<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__glide glide \">\n<div class=\"glide__arrows c-carousel__buttons l-videoCarousel__buttons\" data-glide-el=\"controls\">\n\t<button class=\"glide__arrow glide__arrow--left c-carousel__button c-carousel__prev l-videoCarousel__button l-videoCarousel__prev c-longform-gallery__prev\" data-glide-dir=\"<\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Previous Video<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<button class=\"glide__arrow glide__arrow--right c-carousel__button c-carousel__next l-videoCarousel__button l-videoCarousel__next c-longform-gallery__next\" data-glide-dir=\">&#8220;><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Next Video<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"c-carousel__goto\" data-glide-dir=\"=0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><\/button>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t<!-- video stream item --><\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot that goes into it, and I even have such an awesome team around me. It\u2019s been an incredible season with my body.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup\" data-newsletter-inline=\"\">\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"225\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/shaw-globalnews\/images\/skyline\/national.jpg\" alt=\"Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup__content\">\n<h2 class=\"c-inlineSignup__title\">Get breaking National news<\/h2>\n<p>Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox because it happens so you will not miss a trending story.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Most significantly, Shead was a relentless for a Raptors team that had significant injuries all season.<\/p>\n<p>When RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley missed long stretches of time, Shead often absorbed their minutes, and he also gave all-star Scottie Barnes a likelihood to rest when he stepped into the playmaker role.<\/p>\n<p>All-star forward Brandon Ingram, named Eastern Conference player of the week on Monday, said Shead\u2019s consistent presence within the lineup helped the Raptors reach the playoffs for the primary time in 4 years.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s the pinnacle of the snake, especially for the second group,\u201d said Ingram, who played in 77 games, the second most in his 10-year profession. \u201cHe began some this 12 months, and to be available is the perfect thing, knowing that any person\u2019s gonna be there consistently, doing the identical thing each night, defensive intensity, running the team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s special to do, especially how hard he plays each night.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Head coach Darko Rajakovic said that Shead\u2019s playing in every game this season says so much about how much preparation he put in off the court.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c(Shead) had a extremely good summer that allowed him to undergo a season like this,\u201d said Rajakovic. \u201cAll of the recovery, the nutrition, all the stuff he\u2019s doing to take care of that through the course of the season.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-tabs\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t<button role=\"tab\" class=\"c-tabs__tab c-tabs__tab--active\" type=\"button\">More on Sports<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t<button role=\"tab\" class=\"c-tabs__tab\" type=\"button\">More videos<\/button>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s a really durable player and winning player. I find it irresistible for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Cougars were a winning team yearly Shead was playing collegiate basketball in Houston, reaching the Final 4 of the boys\u2019s championship in his freshman season in 2020-21.<\/p>\n<p>The subsequent 12 months, the Cougars won the American Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships and reached the Elite Eight of March Madness.<\/p>\n<p>The team switched to the tougher Big 12 conference for the 2023-24 season, but Houston didn\u2019t decelerate, winning the regular-season title.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>After a muddled 30-52 rookie season for the Raptors, Shead is about to make his NBA playoff debut Saturday when Toronto opens its first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m just excited, man, and I feel we get to play for something larger,\u201d he said. \u201cOur season ended on today last 12 months. So just having the ability to have a shot at playing some more games and continuing this season with this team, it\u2019s exciting. \u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shead might have to step up again when the Raptors open their best-of-seven series in Cleveland. Quickley was listed as day-to-day Monday with a light right hamstring strain.<\/p>\n<p>Quickley underwent medical imaging a day after Toronto\u2019s playoff-clinching 136-101 win over the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2026.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t&#038;copy 2026 The Canadian Press\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TORONTO \u2013 Entering his sophomore NBA season, Jamal Shead knew there was one statistical category he wanted to guide the league in: games played. He got there Sunday, appearing in his 82nd game of the Toronto Raptors\u2019 season \u2014 one in every of just 18 players within the league to suit up in all 82 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":318954,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[17426,1399,473,3491,25858],"class_list":["post-318953","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-consistency","tag-jamal","tag-model","tag-raptors","tag-shead"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/318953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=318953"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/318953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":318956,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/318953\/revisions\/318956"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/318954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=318953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=318953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=318953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}