Jalen Duren's rapid growth powering Detroit Pistons' strong start

Cade Cunningham paused, and then smiled during media day when asked what he could accomplish with Jalen Duren this season.

“A lot,” he said. “A lot. He’s a great lob threat. Put the ball anywhere and he’ll get it.”

Three games into the season, Duren has done a lot of that. And a whole lot more.

The 19-year-old has arguably been the Detroit Pistons’ most dominant player, averaging 18 points, an NBA-high 15 rebounds, four assists and 2.7 blocks per game on 80% shooting. The big is threading the needle on passes, making ballhandlers think twice before challenging him at the rim and finishing just about everything in the paint — not just lobs, but putback dunks, tip-ins and powerful two-handed slams right through the outreached arms of opposing centers.

He has been a key part of a strong defensive start for the Pistons, who improved to 2-1 after routing the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. His third consecutive double-double was a Duren showcase — a season-high 21 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two blocks — that helped the Pistons cruise to a 118-102 win in their home opener.

Duren seemed primed for improvement after a solid rookie season. But this?

“The way he rebounds, the way he covers up mistakes at the rim, his physicality, the way he talks on defense, it’s pretty cool to watch,” first-year head coach Monty Williams said Saturday. “He’s 19 years old, so again, he has a ways to go. But we like the growth that he’s had since we started practice.”

Duren has routinely physically dominated players more than 10 years his senior since he entered the NBA last season as the league's youngest player. But he’s now combining that raw physical talent with a greater understanding of the league and his place in it. Like most rookie centers, he was inconsistent and often a step slow on defense.

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The game has slowed for him now. He’s playing with a high level of energy and a greater degree of confidence and understanding of what’s required of him and what he’s capable of doing. Early in the season, he has been among the NBAs best bigs so far.

On Saturday, he became just the second teenager in league history with at least 20 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a game, behind only LeBron James. Saturday was also his 22nd career double-double, passing James as the league's teen leader.

“It’s cool,” Duren said after learning of the accomplishment. “It’s still the beginning. Like coach said, we’re only three games in. Can’t get too high on some of these wins. It’s good to just feel like we’re going in the right direction. I don’t want to make it too much about me, because I honestly just want to keep winning.”

Duren put together a highlight reel against the Bulls. In the first quarter, he placed a perfect entry pass over the top of the defense to get Isaiah Stewart an easy layup. Not long after, he delivered a short roll pass to a cutting Ausar Thompson for a dunk. In the third quarter, he received a slick bounce pass from Cunningham to finish a dunk right through two Bulls defenders.

He has formed a formidable duo alongside Cunningham, with whome he only played nine games with last season. The two joined forces scrimmaging against Team USA over the summer. Both delivered standout performances. And they got a head start on learning each other’s games, which is paying off early this season.

“Our IQ’s just, they match,” Duren said. “He got a high IQ, I got a high IQ and I know what type of player he is. I feel like when he has the ball in his hands, he’s going to make something happen with it. I try to get him the ball in spots where he can be effective. And I really take a lot of pride in that, take a lot of pride in getting our guards open on screens and just making sure the game’s easier for them, because I know they can make the right plays.”

It’s an exciting development for a Pistons team that has a chance to be better than many expected. They have held all three of their opponents below 42% shooting and 104 points per game thus far. Their 2-1 record is already the franchise's best since starting the 2018-19 campaign at 3-0.

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Of course, there’s a lot of basketball to be played, and the Pistons will have to win many more battles before they can be considered a true up-and-coming team in the Eastern Conference.

But Duren’s rapid improvement amid a strong, cohesive week of basketball is one of many reasons why their future looks brighter.

“I see what you all see, but I also see his intention to get better,” Williams said. “He’s heard all of the stuff about how good he can be, but he knows it comes with a lot of work. And he’d be the first one to tell you we’re just getting started. He wouldn’t want to sit up here and hear a lot of accolades about himself. He knows we have a ways to go to gain the respect that we want to gain as a team.”

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.

MUST LISTEN: Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem joined 'The Pistons Pulse'  podcast this week to address the state of the team and its future. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify). Watch a clip from the podcast with Tellem at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons in overdrive behind Jalen Duren's rapid development