Already averaging a double-double through three games, Pistons center Jalen Duren has started the 2025-26 regular season on a tear. Last night, Duren posted 24 points and 18 rebounds in a six-point win over the Celtics, and he was nearly perfect from the charity stripe with a 12-for-13 mark on the night. So, it’s clear to see that Duren is already in midseason form, and the 6-10 center from Memphis is putting the league on notice.

Underlining Duren’s hot start, the fourth-year center has landed in the limelight recently as ESPN included Duren in its list of players en route to a breakout campaign. 

“Much of the Pistons' revival last season revolved around Cade Cunningham's on-court growth,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo wrote. “Duren's on-court progress was a bit more of a footnote, but the 21-year-old big man started all 78 of his games last season, shot a career-best 69.2% from the field (the NBA's second-highest clip behind Jarrett Allen) and averaged a double-double for the second straight season. Duren's strength and physicality have always given him a pronounced advantage dating back to his prospect days, but he has turned that into consistent production and answered the old questions about his motor.”

As Woo alluded to, Duren has developed into a force around the rim, and although he doesn’t take a huge volume of shots, he tends to make the ones he does take. Cunningham and Duren have formed an electric lob connection over the past several seasons, and the Cade-to-JD alley-oop has flourished in the early part of this season as well. 

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“The obvious analog here is Bam Adebayo, another physically gifted center who more than doubled his assists in his age-22 season (averaging 5.1) and made the All-Star team that year,” Woo wrote. “Considering the presence of Cunningham and Ausar Thompson (plus Jaden Ivey, who will miss at least the first month of the season after having knee surgery last week), it's hard to expect quite that level of playmaking jump, but whatever Duren can give them will be a plus. He should have plenty of opportunities to do damage playing out of short rolls and to continue building chemistry with Detroit's guards.”

Shortly before the regular season began, the Pistons decided not to extend Duren’s rookie contract into a long-term deal by the Oct. 20 deadline, so the powerful big man will enter the upcoming offseason as a restricted free agent if Detroit extends a qualifying offer. So, Duren has an impetus to perform in what is essentially a contract year for the center. 

Later tonight, Duren and his teammates will host the Cleveland Cavaliers for a home game at 7 pm as the Pistons look to start the year 3-1. 

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