Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons
The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest field is nearly complete following today’s announcement. Last week, there were two commitments to the contest. Carter Bryant of the San Antonio Spurs, and Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers.
News dropped earlier this morning, per Shams Charania, that Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons would be joining the contest after accepting an invitation. One of the hardest slammers in the association, he should be able to bring the ferocity to the event.
There has never been a champion in the event from Detroit, so perhaps the big man can go and make a little bit of history. As a big man that plays near the basket, he has no shortage of opportunities to show what he can do out there.
The one thing that may be missing in this year’s field, at first glance, is flare. It may very well be a wide open race. More on Duren to come.
Jalen Duren Just the 4th Detroit Piston to Partake in Dunk Contest
It was a bit surprising, looking through the dunk contest participants history, to see so few members of the Detroit Pistons. Jalen Duren, as he prepares for the event, will be just the fourth player in franchise history to be doing so.
Allan Houston was the first in 1994. Jerry Stackhouse gave it a try in 2000. 16 years later, we saw Andre Drummond out there. And now another 10 more years later, Duren has his name in the field.
Re-live all of Drummond’s dunks by tapping the link here or watching the video below. He and Will Barton of the Denver Nuggets really stood a chance in this contest. Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon made it to the Finals and absolutely stole the show.
Talking about Duren and his ferocity, few in the league, if anybody, can dunk harder than him. It is genuinely a surprise he has not broken any baskets in the league, yet. It is not something that really happens like it used to. Shaquille’ O’Neal used to put it down so hard that on multiple occasions he brought the whole thing down.
Enjoy some of Duren’s mammoth jams below as you prepare to watch him next Saturday night.
Already named an All-Star for the first time in his career, the Pistons big man now has the opportunity to compete for multiple nights.
Detroit Big man Looks to Become First Piston to Win Contest
Jalen Duren has proven himself as a very good basketball player this year. All of his stats are up while he’s playing for the best team in the Eastern Conference. Now in his fourth season in Detroit, he’s proven a viable anchor for the team on both ends of the floor.
Playing with fellow All-Star Cade Cunningham has certainly had its benefits, and he’s due for a big contract upgrade this summer. It would be shocking if Detroit didn’t give it to him.
As he prepares for the dunk contest, he’ll be looking to make history. None of the Pistons before him were able to win the contest, as he seeks to become the first. One of the least represented teams through the history of the contest, it would be nice for more franchise hardware to come in.
We’ll see what Duren has, as he competes with Jaxson Hayes, Carter Bryant, and the last candidate, who is yet to be named.