The Houston basketball team had a terrific first season in the Big 12 this year as they won the regular-season title, and they earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Their run unfortunately ended earlier than they were expecting as they lost to No. 4 seed Duke in the Sweet 16.
Houston star Jamal Shead was injured early in that game, and that certainly made things difficult for the Cougars. Shead is a senior, and he is not expected to return next season.
According to Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson, Jamal Shead made his decision about next season a while ago. Sampson was asked if there is anything official, but he knows that is up to Shead to announce, not him.
“He made a decision a long time ago,” Kelvin Sampson said, according to a tweet from Joseph Duarte “…That's not for me to say.”
With Shead likely departing, Houston will need a new point guard next season, and the transfer portal can come in handy with that. The transfer portal is open right now, and it has been a big topic of discussion among coaches as of late.
Some don't like that it opens up while the NCAA Tournament is still happening. Like it or not, it is crucial to utilize it, and Sampson knows that.
“If you are not utilizing the transfer portal today, then you’re getting behind,” Sampson said. “The portal has been great for us.”
That has to be good to hear if you're a Cougars fan. Houston basketball has built something special, and they want to continue to move in the right direction. Sampson is confident that the portal is going to be good for them, and he is confident that they will be just fine at the PG position next year.
“I'm going to go out on a limb and say we're going to have a good point guard next season,” Sampson said.
Jamal Shead has had a great career with Houston
Seeing Jamal Shead go down against Duke in the Sweet 16 was heartbreaking for Houston basketball fans. He was one of the best players on the team, and seeing how close that game was, you can only wonder what things would be like now if Shead hadn't gotten hurt.
Shead has had a special run with the Cougars. He has been there for all four years of his college career, which is fairly rare in today's college basketball world. Shead has averaged double figures every year since his sophomore season, and he put up his best numbers as a senior as he averaged 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game this season. He was also part of some very successful teams.
Houston was in the AAC before joining the Big 12 this season, and Jamal Shead was part of two AAC Tournament-winning teams and two AAC regular-season champion teams. He also went to the Final Four and won the Big 12 regular-season championship this season. The Cougars fell short of their goals as they lost in the Sweet 16, but it was still an impressive season.
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