Pistons rookie Jalen Duren using Sixers’ Joel Embiid as inspiration
PHILADELPHIA–Detroit Pistons rookie Jalen Duren is looking to find his way in the NBA as a 19-year-old kid. The big man is averaging 7.2 points and 8.2 rebounds as he is worked his way up to becoming a starter for Detroit.
As he prepared for his first matchup with Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, the rookie was excited for the matchup as it is another star big man in this league to learn from. Embiid, along with Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis, is a guy that Duren was excited to learn from.
“Of course, a very skilled guy,” Duren said of Embiid. “A very, very proven guy in his league, of course. For me, coming as a rookie, I look forward to these types of matches. Playing against guys like Jokic, AD, all the proven bigs because they’re at where I want to be. This is a matchup I couldn’t wait for just to learn from him and be able to go against him and just play it out.”
Duren had seven points and eight rebounds against Embiid while the Sixers received 22, 10 rebounds, and six assists out of their star big man to knock off Detroit by 20 at home.
Embiid is only 28, but he has had so much success in this league and whatever he can pass down to young players is a source of pride for him.
“It is great,” said Embiid. “Especially, as—I don’t like to say that I’m a big man, but, I guess I’m big so, it’s good to kinda inspire I won’t say the next generation because I’m only 28 years old, but the up and coming guys is good and whatever they can take from what I have and use that to their advantage is always good.”
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