"It's difficult to survive as a small guard in the modern NBA. There are obviously the success stories: Fred VanVleet carved out an All-Star career for himself as a lethal three-point shooter, improved playmaker, and feisty defender. Davion Mitchell earned himself his second career contract in Miami because of his defensive prowess and improved off-the-catch shotmaking. TJ McConnell was just one of the most important players on a Finals team because of his pace and frenetic style."
"Something that makes you stand out amongst the giants. That is the key for Jamal Shead as he heads into the second year of his career. Shead understands this idea well. He said as much when Samson Folk interviewed him back in July. While you can argue that we've seen flashes of those outlier skills, moments where either his defense, pace, playmaking, or three-point shooting excelled, Shead isn't far along enough in any department to claim he has that one outlier skill."
"Shead had a good rookie season for a second-round pick. The case could have been made that he was deserving of, at the very least, some votes for an All-Rookie team last season because of the playmaking pop he provided for the Raptors off the bench. For all the concerns about his shooting, Shead finished the season shooting 32%, a solid start for a player who wasn't much of a perimeter shooter in his four years in college."
Jamal Shead needs a clear outlier skill to secure a long-term role as a small guard in the modern NBA. He has shown flashes in defense, pace, playmaking, and three-point shooting but has not yet developed a single dominant attribute. His rookie season offered playmaking pop off the bench and a 32% three-point rate, which signals progress from his college profile. He has earned a reputation as a defensive 'stopper' through high effort and energy. Size limitations make it difficult to become truly remarkable without mastering angles, gamesmanship, and elite technique.
Read at Raptors Republic
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