How the young big man is pushing Detroit forward with power and purpose
Jalen Duren is no longer a project. He is no longer the young center learning the grind of the league. In year four, he has become one of the most powerful anchors in the Eastern Conference, and the Detroit Pistons are benefitting from a big man who is growing into stardom in real time.
At 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, Duren always had the frame. What he has added this season is control, consistency and confidence. Through 13 games, his averages — 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game with a 67.4 percent field-goal mark — reflect a player who has not only found his rhythm but sharpened every part of his game. Those numbers are a leap from his early production and a clear sign of how far he has come.
His path to this moment shows steady progression. As a rookie, he gave Detroit a glimpse of his potential with 9.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in limited minutes. In year two, his impact grew to 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds. His third season held steady but did not skyrocket, with 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds. This year, the jump is impossible to ignore. He looks ready, he looks polished and he looks like a center who can carry responsibility at both ends.
Offensively, Duren plays with purpose. He finishes with strength, cuts with timing and understands when to seal defenders instead of simply posting up. Guards trust him as a target. Wings know he will clear space for them. His screens hit with force, freeing shooters and carving lanes. When he gets the ball in the paint, his decisions are quick and decisive. There is no wasted motion.
Defensively, he sets the tone. He battles on every rebound, uses his strength to control the paint and shows sharper instincts than in years past. His positioning has improved. He is reading plays earlier. He recovers faster. Detroit’s defense stabilizes when he is on the floor because he owns the interior rather than just occupying it.
What stands out most is his maturity. Duren carries himself like a veteran now. He understands when the team needs pace, when it needs a reset and when it needs physicality. He communicates more. He accepts responsibility. These traits matter for a team pushing forward with young contributors who need steadiness inside.
Detroit’s identity is changing, and Duren plays a central role in that shift. The Pistons no longer look like a team focused on what comes next. They are focused on now. Their offense has structure around the paint because Duren demands attention. Their defense has credibility because he provides size and stability. His growth has opened up flexibility in the lineup and clarity in the rotation.
There is more room for him to grow. His passing could sharpen. His footwork can tighten. His defensive range can expand beyond the restricted area. But these are the tweaks of a player already producing at a high level, not the gaps of one still trying to find his place.
Duren has gone from potential to presence. From flashes to force. From a young center learning the league to a centerpiece capable of shaping a franchise’s direction.
Detroit needed strength in the middle. Jalen Duren has given them more than that. He has given them momentum.
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