Former Jarace Walker teammate Jamal Shead works out for Pacers ahead of 2024 NBA Draft, discusses Walker's career

Shead worked out for the Pacers last Friday

Mar 5, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Houston Cougars forward Jarace Walker (25) and Houston Cougars guard Jamal Shead (1) react after defeating the Memphis Tigers at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — As Jamal Shead wrapped up his pre-draft workout with the Indiana Pacers, he walked off the court and shook hands with several team executives. After the pleasantries, he visited with a familiar face.

Nearby was Pacers forward Jarace Walker. Walker, a 20-year old rookie, just finished his first NBA season. Indiana picked him in the lottery last season after one year with the Houston Cougars — there, he and Shead were teammates. They embraced after Shead's workout with Indiana.

Houston went 33-4 the season that those two players overlapped. They reached the Sweet 16, and both Walker and Shead were key factors in that success. The Cougars ended the season with the third-best defense in the nation, per Basketball Reference, and were led in scoring by now-Detroit Pistons guard Marcus Sasser . They were a stacked squad.

Shead is now in the pre-draft process and hopes to join Sasser and Walker in the NBA. He talked about the pace that was required in his workout with the blue and gold — everyone in that session had multiple years of college experience. He then went on to discuss his relationship with Walker.

"My buddy, man. It's good to see him," Shead told gathered media members. "He had an amazing rookie year. Was a part of something really big. I think he's going to grow, it was really cool to see him."

Shead and Walker talked the night before the workout. They were conversing about the Dallas Mavericks and their play in the Western Conference Finals, and specifically how hard it is to guard certain guys in the NBA.

"My third game I guarded Kevin Durant, so I understand," Shead recalled Walker telling him that night. That Pacers vs Suns outing in Phoenix was one of the first games this season that saw Walker get rotation minutes for the blue and gold. He ended up on Durant often, and the superstar wing made both of his shot attempts with Walker as the closest defender, per the NBA's tracking data.

During their one season together at Houston, Walker averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He nabbed a combined 2.3 steals + blocks per game, too. Shead averaged 10.5 points and 5.4 assists per game that season with 1.9 combined steals and blocks. They were both strong defenders.

Now, Shead is trying to reach the NBA himself. He noted that his workout with Indiana, which was his fifth of the pre-draft cycle, went well, and believes he can help any team by doing the things he will be guided to do. The 21-year old was named the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year this past season.

When asked if he could lean on Walker for advice about the draft process, Shead said no, but not because they aren't close. Instead, it's because they had wildly different summer's before the draft.
"His pre-draft process was a little different than mine, so nah," Shead said with a smirk. Waker was selected eighth overall and was projected to be a lottery pick all year long. Shead is currently mocked to go 46th overall in ESPN's latest draft projection.

While they don't talk about draft workouts or anything of the sorts, the two former teammates remain close. That's why they conversed the night before the workout and why they chatted for a bit after it ended. "I talked to him almost every week, two or three times per week," Shead said of his conversations with Walker during the NBA season. "We keep up not just about basketball, but personal life too. I was in tune with the whole season."

The Pacers hold picks 36, 49, and 50 in the upcoming NBA Draft.

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