DETROIT — Little Caesars Arena was filled with SLAM Magazine covers showcasing the most iconic Detroit Pistons players Thursday night. It was a celebration of Jalen Duren, who had graced the cover of SLAM Magazine, one of the top NBA publications blending basketball and hip-hop since 1994.
From the moment he walked into the arena, Duren witnessed everyone celebrate his notoriety. Fans had a copy of the issue, while his teammates wore warm-up shirts featuring Duren, posing in the Pistons’ white jersey, as he was on the cover.
“It was great to see, but more importantly, be on the cover of SLAM, it’s an honor,” Duren told The Detroit News. “To see my teammates embrace me by wearing the shirts, it was great. I could not ask for more.”
Becoming the latest Piston to be featured on the cover of SLAM demonstrates the career season he is having, as he illustrated by lifting Detroit to a comeback 108-105 victory over the Phoenix Suns. He notched his 19th double-double with 18 rebounds, 16 points and a pair of blocks.
Duren’s individual success, combined with the Pistons’ position at the top of the Eastern Conference, has him on the verge of his first All-Star selection. Through 32 games he is averaging 17.8 points and 10.9 rebounds.
“It has been fun to watch, knowing J.D. personally, the person that he is and how bad he wants to be great,” Cade Cunningham said. “It has been cool to watch how he has grown as a player, but it has not been surprising. Since I’ve met J.D., I’ve always known he was going to be a big-time player, and that was back in high school. He is on his way to being the best big in the world, and he isn’t too far off from that now. We are all lucky to play with him.”
Each milestone Duren has reached this season is also a testament to the significant growth he has demonstrated over the past calendar year.
Duren is beginning to gain traction as one of the league’s best young big men amid his breakout season. It’s been a 180 from the slow start that nearly hampered his career in Detroit; he averaged 9.8 points and 9.6 rebounds through the first 39 games of last season.
Duren’s slow start to the 2024-25 campaign became so daunting that many fans began to prefer that coach J.B. Bickerstaff start Isaiah Stewart. Duren’s early-season issues stemmed from trying to find his niche in another coach’s philosophy, a situation that had become all too familiar, given that Bickerstaff’s hiring marked Duren’s third coach in three years.
“The best part of our jobs, as coaches, is to watch young people develop and reach their potential. I think that’s what we’re seeing happening with J.D. right now,” Bickerstaff said. “He’s getting to a point where everybody thought that he could get to based on his talent, his skill set. But the thing that we find most joy in is just watching those guys achieve their goals and reach their potential.”
Bickerstaff continued, “He’s not just out there getting empty numbers; he’s producing and doing the things that the team needs him to do. And that’s what he values.”
Instead of focusing on what was wrong, Duren changed his mindset and began exploring different ways he could improve. He began meeting with Bickerstaff and Trajan Langdon to determine how he might be more effective in a new system.
In addition to his meetings, Duren also used the All-Star break to improve upon his individual attributes, which have become the foundation of his rapid rise.
“I was still trying to figure out myself and how I could be effective within a new offense, new players, just trying to find myself in a new system,” Duren said. “It was also a mindset thing for me. I remember during the All-Star break, I just went back home to Philly (Philadelphia) to get some additional work in. I did not want to go on vacation. I wanted to pick up my play because I knew I could be better.”
Those improvements coincided with the Pistons’ season of resurgence. He went on to average 14.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks over the final 41 games of the regular season. The success also became the catalyst for his offseason workout program.
He spent the entire summer building on last season’s success, working with the same coaching staff and gaining a clear understanding of what to expect from the system and his teammates.
“This summer I watched him work, and the work that he was doing was unbelievable,” Bickerstaff said. “The amount of time he was putting in, two-a-days, lifting, everything that he was doing to help himself, and to do it in a selfless manner. That’s the thing that I think is great, too.”
Duren has enjoyed every moment of his breakout year. He is pleased with his individual success, but he believes he has not yet maximized his full potential. Duren hopes that an All-Star selection will be his next individual accomplishment to celebrate with family, fans and teammates. But helping the Pistons win remains his top priority.
“If God is willing, to be an All-Star in the NBA is a blessing. It’s what every kid dreams of,” Duren said. “But, my main focus is to keep winning games, get into the postseason, and try to make some noise.”