2020 recruit Jamal Shead caused a stir on Monday when he announced that he was committing to the Houston Cougars. Because of his announcement, Shead (pronounced shed) helped the Cougars leap into the top 5 in 2020 recruiting, according to 24/7.
With the commitment of Jamal Shead, the #6 player in Texas, UH now has two of the top 15 players in Texas in the 2020 class.
According to 24/7, the Cougars currently have the #3 recruiting class in the country for 2020. #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/4ggL88oezJ
— GoCoogs.com (@gocoogs1) May 27, 2019
I’ve come to learn a few truths about this top-tier prospect:
He is a ball hawk. He’s an elite defender and a quick, tough athlete who gets into the lane and makes plays. Numerous recruiting analysts consider Shead one of the best playmakers in the country. He’s precisely the kind of recruit that Kelvin Sampson routinely develops into an elite player.
Shead is direct. He’s to the point and doesn’t talk just to talk. He’s concise with his words and answers questions unequivocally.
Our sound-bite society expects athletes to ramble and avoid being pinned down. It was refreshing to deal with someone who just answered questions honestly.
GoCoogs: The recruiting website 24/7 says that you’re the #6 player in Texas. What did you think when you saw that?
Jamal Shead: I was excited, I’ve never been ranked like that until this year.
GoCoogs: Why do you deserve it?
Shead: I don’t know if I do, but I’ve proven myself on high stages and I just tend to keep working!
Shead comes from a stacked basketball-playing family. His sister, Autumn, played at Texas Wesleyan before transferring to Texas Lutheran to be closer to home. His brother Jaylen played two seasons at Cal Poly before transferring to Texas State. In his first season in San Marcos, Jaylen scored eight points a game to go along with five assists and four rebounds.
Jamal says he’s learned a lot about playing the game from his brother and sister.
Maybe those relationships make the family-oriented Cougar program so appealing to him. Shead believes Houston’s family-first attitude is evident in the actions of UH players and staff and that he wants to be part of that.
In comparison, I asked him about all the big-time head coaches watching his games at the Nike EYBL events he’s been attending. He didn’t drop names or get excited. “It was a lot of pressure! Lots of it!” is all that Jamal would say.
The names he could have dropped (but didn’t): Mike Krzyzewski, Tony Bennett, Bruce Pearl, Bill Self, Ben Howland, Kermit Davis, Shaka Smart, Scott Drew, Buzz Williams, and of course, Kelvin Sampson.
With so many top coaches around, it was surprising that Shead decided to commit to the Cougars so early. I asked him about that, and he pointed to the relationships he’s built and the expectations inside the program.
GoCoogs: Was Kellen Sampson your main recruiter?
Jamal Shead: Coach Kellen Sampson recruited me. He’s a cool, funny guy and kept it straightforward with me. I like that about him, and that showed something about UH, too.
GoCoogs: What attracts you to the way Coach Sampson plays defense? What makes you want to play for a coach with such high expectations?
Shead: Everything about the way he coaches attracted me! Coach Sampson can only make me better a basketball player and a man.
Shead continues to elevate his game as he plays more of these elite EYBL circuit weekends. This spring, he’s averaged 12.9, 7.0 assists, and 2.7 steals in the EYBL. He’s 3rd in steals and 4th in the ‘league’ in assists.
GoCoogs: What is it about playing point guard?
Jamal Shead: Always being the focal point. Some guys are better at scoring than me, so why not put them in position? Why not put us in a position to win?”
Last weekend in Dallas, Shead averaged 9 assists a game for the weekend against 2.5 turnovers. But he shot just 34% (25/74) and was abysmal from three-point range (3/29). His steal numbers (2.2 spg) and rebounds (4.0 rpg) were fine. To his credit, he’s open about his shooting troubles.
“I need to improve my jump shot and my ball handling,” he explained when I asked what part of his game needed work. Shead says Coach Sampson wants him to work on his consistency – inside and out of the gym – by approaching every aspect of his life with the same level of effort and positivity.
“I need to work on the little aspects of my game that will make me better for the next level,” he said.
In most EBYL events, Shead’s shooting has improved the further he gets into the weekend. Is it nerves? In the four games on Saturday and Sunday, he shot 56% from inside the arc (19/34).
In Indianapolis earlier this month, his final three games were excellent: 18 and 14, 24 and 7, and 10 and 7. He shot 49% on the weekend (18/37) and 67% from two-point range (14/21). In four games, he had 28 assists against only five turnovers.
GoCoogs: Which UH player would you compare yourself to?
Shead: I say more Galen (Robinson) as I’m more of a leader. I’m not the best scorer, but I can score.
When asked about what other traits of his that he considers elite, Shead didn’t hesitate and screamed, “DEFENSE!!” He believes that everyone has to step up at certain times, and his opportunities happen in facilitating and on defense.
Recruiting analysts and coaches say he could be the best on-ball defender in the 2020 class. Everything I’ve heard about him says he’s a natural fit for a Kelvin Sampson team.
GoCoogs: Was finding a team that matches your style a big deal to you?
Jamal Shead: Yes, knowing I can come in and make an impact.
GoCoogs: So why does the UH defense set up well for you?
Shead I haven’t learned the UH defense yet, but the intensity on defense I liked.
GoCoogs: Why does your defense stand out from other players?
Shead: I just think I’m more intense than others on defense.
Many others are recruiting Shead – A&M has gone after him pretty hard since hiring Buzz Williams. Williams met with Shead a few days after getting to College Station. Two weeks later, he visited the Manor rising senior in-home.
Williams is the only coach other than Sampson to get an in-home. With so much attention paid to Shead in the first three weeks of Buzz’s tenure, it is clear that he was a top priority for the new Aggie coach.
After his big weekend in Indianapolis, Shead has also attracted the attention of Tech’s Chris Beard and Notre Dame’s Mike Brey. But Shead says he’s firmly committed to the Cougars.
GoCoogs: How often have you visited the UH campus?
Jamal Shead: I’ve been about three times and also to some games.
GoCoogs: Has anything stood out to you?
Shead: The city stood out. I loved everything, and especially Coog Nation!
Some portions of the interview were edited for clarity and length.
