March is a month for young basketball stars to make their names known in the NCAA Tournament, but Jalen Duren is stealing the show with his own dominant performances. Even more show-stopping is the age comparison: at just 22, Duren is younger than some college stars. It just goes to show his immense potential for future growth, even beyond his likely All-NBA selection this season.
Jalen Duren is still a college-aged athlete
To get some proper perspective on how young Duren still is, let's compare him to another Michigan hooper in Yaxel Lendeborg. Lendeborg is considered a potential lottery pick in this year's draft after a great season for the Wolverines. But somehow Lendeborg is nearly a year older than Duren.
While Lendeborg and his peers are lighting up college teams, Duren is averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds per game this month in the NBA. His remarkable leap this year in pretty much every facet of the game, especially his self-created scoring, have helped the Pistons find surprising success. Even now, with star Cade Cunningham sidelined, Duren has stepped up to lead the team to 4 straight wins without his point guard.
Duren has grown plenty from his rookie year, when he was the youngest player in the league. That was 4 years ago; he entered the league at just 18 years old. His youth has been a major advantage in his development as he's steadily picked up more skills and better NBA instincts. The Pistons knew they were drafting a raw player in 2022, but trusted him to improve in their hands.
The future is incredibly bright for Jalen Duren
Even compared to last season, Duren has been a totally different player this year. His ball-handling and defensive timing are the most noticeable areas of growth, but they're not the only ones. He's also added to his existing strengths, such as his rebounding and finishing as a roll man. But the biggest difference might be Duren's consistent effort and physicality on both ends.
As Duren matures further, he should only get more consistent in his performances. But he can still reach new levels with ever-evolving skills too. Even though a 4th year pro typically won't change his game dramatically over an offseason, Duren could break that rule of thumb as an exceptionally young player.
He's flashed some of those next-level skills already this season. On occasion, he's attempted to expand his range with jump shots outside the paint. Although they haven't fallen at a great rate yet, Duren's stroke looks smooth. Combined with his rapid rate of progress, it gives hope to Pistons fans that it can be a regular weapon in his arsenal soon.