Bar has been raised for Pistons' Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren after latest accolade
CLEVELAND — For the second year in a row, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren will participate in the NBA’s Rising Stars game.
It’s an honor, but the sophomore duo has bigger goals this time around.
"I’m happy, it’s a blessing to be acknowledged in that light,” Duren said after the team’s shootaround in Cleveland on Wednesday morning. “Just a testament to the work I’ve been putting in, and the grind. But the goal is still to be an All-Star one day. That’s what I want to come back for.”
“(God) blessed me with this opportunity to play with the Pistons, knowing my background, and just to compete at All-Star weekend is something special and something I dream of,” Ivey added later. “I dream of playing in the actual All-Star game, but I know that time will come. Just gotta stay focused and know that God keeps taking care of that.”
The bar has been raised, as both players' games have grown in the past year. Ivey is averaging fewer points than last season (14.3, down from 16.3, with 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists) but has improved as a scorer, finishing a higher percentage of his shots both at the rim and from midrange. Defensively, he’s in the midst of his best stretch.
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Duren, who had his first 20-20 game on Sunday with a career-high six assists, is starting to live up to his potential as a multi-faceted offensive big. The Pistons are initiating more offense through the 20-year-old compared to his rookie season. He’s among the NBA’s most dominant rebounders as his 11.9 per game trail just Domantas Sabonis, Rudy Gobert, Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis.
There are more levels still for the duo to reach, and both players want to ensure that this year’s All-Star weekend trip isn’t their last.
“I trust my work and I trust the work I put in every offseason,” Ivey said. “And I trust my God-given gifts. And I trust God, most importantly, to get me there one day. Keep working, keep giving my efforts to my team and most importantly for the man above, and take it one day at a time. I woke up and was just very grateful that I got a lot of texts about it. Any time you are able to play in All-Star weekend, it’s something that you don’t take for granted. Just blessed for this opportunity and will keep moving forward from here.”
Ivey, who scored seven points in last year’s event, had an enriching experience the first time around as he was able to pick the brains of Hall of Fame guards Dwyane Wade and Allen Iverson. This will be Duren’s Rising Stars debut despite making the roster as a rookie, as he was a late scratch due to an ankle injury.
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For Monty Williams, the hope is that the game — and the potential for future trips — gives them more incentive to continue improving their games.
“I’m just guessing, but I would imagine when you’re validated in that way, it gives you some confidence,” Williams said. “But I imagine if they didn’t get picked, it would motivate them. It’s both. Just depends on where you are. I’m more inclined to appreciate the awards, but dive into the process of just getting better. I think that’s where all of our young guys are.
“I hope they remain there for a long time in just improving in their games. You want to be recognized for the stuff you do on the floor, but I’m sure that they’re just thankful for it. I’m hopeful that they just continue to improve.”
This year’s All-Star weekend will take place in Indianapolis. The Rising Stars game is scheduled for Feb. 16, and will follow the same format as last year’s. It will be a mini-tournament, with the 28-player pool divided evenly between four teams. Eleven rookies and 10 sophomores were selected for the game and will be drafted across three teams, and the fourth team will be seven G League players.
The draft will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 6, and will stream on the NBA app. The game will follow Elam Ending rules, with the semifinal games being played to 40 and the championship game played to 25.
Ivey and Duren round out a sophomore group that includes Michigan alumnus Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Dyson Daniels, Walker Kessler, Benedict Mathurin, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharp, Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Williams. Neither Ausar Thompson or Marcus Sasser made the rookie game.
Andre Drummond, Brandon Knight and Greg Monroe are Detroit’s only other players in franchise history to make two Rising Stars games.
“It’s a fun environment,” Duren said. “All the best players in the league come together, and are all in one building. The stars. It’s a great atmosphere, honestly. There’s nothing like it, no matter where it is in the country. It’s a great atmosphere, and it’s great to play in it.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bar raised for Pistons' Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren after latest accolade
