Raptors Insider: Jamal Shead brings something off the court that you can’t teach - Toronto Star

It remains to be seen what kind of player Shead turns into, but the 24-year-old has a unique leadership style this team needs.

Raptors guard Jamal Shead gets ready to play before a recent game against the Orlando Magic.

The Raptors have great expectations for Jamal Shead. They see the young guard as a leader and the kind of player others gravitate to and want to learn from.

There were a couple of moments in Wednesday’s loss to the Boston Celtics, moments that played out away from the action and the glare of the spotlight, that showed the organization’s hopes for Shead are well founded.

In the second quarter, Collin Murray-Boyles fouled Jayson Tatum as the Celtics star hit a three-pointer, an egregious mistake compounded by the fact the Murray-Boyles foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1 for a reckless closeout. Tatum made the free throw for a four-point play. The Celtics kept possession and made a three-pointer shortly after for what was a seven-point possession. Oh, it was also Murray-Boyles’ third personal foul, further exacerbating Toronto’s size deficit.

While everyone was waiting out the video review, Shead sat with Murray-Boyles on the bench, both looking at their own video of the play on a tablet. Shead went to great lengths to explain to Murray-Boyles how he could have better defended the play.

In the fourth quarter, with about six minutes left and the Raptors clinging to a three-point lead, Shead spent the first few seconds of a timeout in an animated conversation with rookie Allen Graves. He left that chat to check something with assistant coach Pat Delany out on the court and went back to the huddle to reinforce what he’d told Graves.

It was a player working as a coach, something the Raptors brass expect to see from Shead despite his own relative inexperience and young age.

“Yeah, 24 and the old head,” Shead said after the game with a chuckle.

Just like they did on Wednesday, Toronto roared out to a big lead early, but couldn’t find answers for Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers.