Jalen Duren facts for kids
| No. 0 – Detroit Pistons | ||||||||||||||
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | November 18, 2003 Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Memphis (2021–2022) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2022 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Charlotte Hornets | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2022–present | |||||||||||||
| League | NBA | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–present | Detroit Pistons | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Jalen Montez Duren (born November 18, 2003) is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a center for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Jalen is 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) tall and weighs 250 pounds (113 kg). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Memphis Tigers. He was considered one of the best young players in his age group.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
Jalen Duren was born in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania. His family later moved to New Castle, Delaware. When he was younger, Jalen played football and baseball. But he soon decided to focus on basketball as he got better at it.
He played basketball at Gunning Bedford Middle School in New Castle. By seventh grade in 2017, he was already 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) tall and started getting noticed. A coach from a Philadelphia-based basketball club, Team Final, saw his talent. Jalen joined their program. By eighth grade, he was about 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall. He led the 15U Team Final team to a championship. His strong performances made him one of the top young players.
High School Basketball Journey
Jalen Duren decided to play high school basketball at Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia. He joined his AAU teammate, Justice Williams, there.
Freshman Year Success
As a freshman, Jalen averaged 12.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. He shot 71 percent from the field. He helped his team win their second straight Philadelphia Catholic League title. He was named a MaxPreps Freshman All-American.
Sophomore Year Highlights
In his second year, Jalen averaged 18.1 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game. His team had a good record of 18 wins and 10 losses. In the playoffs, he had 18 points and 18 rebounds against Bonner-Prendergast. He even made the game-winning shot! His team reached the title game but lost to Neumann Goretti. Jalen still played great, with 11 points and 16 rebounds. The season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He earned many honors, including MaxPreps Sophomore All-American.
Junior Year at Montverde Academy
For his junior year, Jalen moved to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. This school was joining a new league with other top basketball programs. Jalen was one of only five younger players named to the Sports Illustrated Preseason All-American team.
In January 2021, Jalen showed his skills against other top players. He even had a play featured on SportsCenter where he blocked a shot by catching the ball in mid-air! Montverde won the first NIBC championship. Jalen averaged 15.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game in league play. He was also named the MaxPreps Florida High School Basketball Player of the Year for 2020–21.
Becoming a Top Recruit
During his junior year, Jalen became the top player in the 2022 recruiting class. Major sports sites like ESPN, 247Sports, and Rivals ranked him number one. On August 6, 2021, he decided to finish high school a year early. He committed to play college basketball for Memphis. He chose Memphis over offers from other big schools and professional leagues.
College Career at Memphis
Jalen Duren played one year of college basketball for the Memphis Tigers.
On November 19, 2021, he had an amazing game against Western Kentucky. He scored 19 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, and blocked five shots. He was named to the First Team All-AAC. He also won the AAC Freshman of the Year award. Jalen helped Memphis get into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2014. As a freshman, he averaged 12 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. After his freshman year, on April 18, 2022, Jalen decided to enter the 2022 NBA draft.
Professional NBA Career
Detroit Pistons (2022-Present)
The Charlotte Hornets picked Jalen Duren as the 13th overall player in the 2022 NBA draft. On the same day, his draft rights were traded to the New York Knicks and then to the Detroit Pistons. Jalen joined the Pistons for the 2022 NBA Summer League. He signed his first NBA contract with the Pistons on July 7, 2022.
Jalen made his regular season NBA debut on October 19, 2022. He scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked three shots in a win against the Orlando Magic.
On February 10, 2023, Jalen had a fantastic game against the San Antonio Spurs. He scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. This was a "double-double" (getting double-digit numbers in two stats).
On October 31, 2023, the Detroit Pistons extended his contract for another year. On January 28, 2024, Jalen had another huge game. He scored 22 points and set a new career-high with 21 rebounds in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
On April 4, 2025, Jalen scored 21 points and had 18 rebounds in a win against the Toronto Raptors. This win helped Detroit reach the NBA postseason for the first time since 2019.
National Team Experience
Jalen Duren has also played for the United States national team. He played in the 2019 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Brazil. He averaged 10.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and two blocks per game. His team won a gold medal, and Jalen was named to the tournament's all-star team.
Career Statistics
Jalen's statistics show how well he has played in the NBA and college.
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Detroit | 67 | 31 | 24.9 | .648 | .000 | .611 | 8.9 | 1.1 | .7 | .9 | 9.1 |
| 2023–24 | Detroit | 61 | 60 | 29.1 | .619 | .000 | .790 | 11.6 | 2.4 | .5 | .8 | 13.8 |
| 2024–25 | Detroit | 78 | 78 | 26.1 | .692 | – | .669 | 10.3 | 2.7 | .7 | 1.1 | 11.8 |
| Career | 206 | 169 | 26.6 | .653 | .000 | .691 | 10.2 | 2.1 | .6 | .9 | 11.5 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Detroit | 6 | 6 | 33.8 | .650 | — | .826 | 10.7 | 3.5 | .3 | 1.7 | 11.8 |
| Career | 6 | 6 | 33.8 | .650 | — | .826 | 10.7 | 3.5 | .3 | 1.7 | 11.8 | |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Memphis | 29 | 29 | 25.3 | .597 | .000 | .625 | 8.1 | 1.3 | .8 | 2.1 | 12.0 |
Player Strengths and Style
Jalen Duren is known as a strong "post" player. This means he is very good at playing close to the basket. His large size, strength, and quick movements help him control the paint area. He is good at both scoring and defending.
Experts have said that Jalen's physical build and ability to block shots are similar to NBA player Bam Adebayo. His AAU coach also compared him to Marvin Bagley III.
See also
In Spanish: Jalen Duren para niños
