Jalen Duren’s All-Star case is clear-cut with breakout Pistons season

The Detroit Pistons’ 2025-26 breakthrough is widely credited to the development of their young core. This group has been put together since 2020-21. One of the most important pieces of that core is 22-year-old center Jalen Duren, who should be a 2026 NBA All-Star after his breakout campaign.

Former Pistons’ general manager Troy Weaver was eager to pair an athletic lob threat with franchise point guard Cade Cunningham during the 2022 NBA Draft. Weaver made a bold move, trading up for the Memphis center, and the acquisition is paying off, with Duren being considered for his first career NBA All-Star spot.

Duren is emerging as one of the most promising centers in the league. That promise is translating to individual success for Duren and team success for the Pistons. Detroit has turned its identity around as one of the worst teams in league history to currently standing as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 33-11 record.

The case for Duren becoming an All-Star is gaining major traction around the league. NBA media, coaches, and players have raved about his development and impact on his team this season. The All-Star reserves will be announced on February 1. Duren could be joining Cunningham and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff as the third Piston in Los Angeles.

Jalen Duren is expanding his offensive game

Duren came into the league highly regarded offensively for his production as a lob threat and a dunker. His 250-pound athletic build holds plenty of promise, and the offensive development is showing how dangerous he can be.

Duren is averaging a career-high 17.8 points per game. However, his scoring is coming in diverse ways outside of catching lobs from Cunningham. Duren has become confident as a shot creator on his own by driving to the hoop off the dribble. There have also been flashes of Duren as a mid-range jump shooter.

Duren has been one of the most stable double-double machines since joining the NBA. He has currently recorded 20 throughout the 2025-26 regular season.

The Pistons are offensively at their best when they move the ball efficiently. Duren has been reliable as a playmaker and even brought the ball up the floor to set the offense as a center. Bickerstaff has encouraged Duren to confidently expand those areas of his game, and they seem to be working for himself and the team.

“When we got here and watched some film, you could see what he was capable of. And then it was our responsibility to put him in a position to make more of those decisions and allow him to practice those,” Bickerstaff explained to the media. “He’s an elite passer when we put the ball in his hands. He understands when to attack his man and go score. The confidence in him being aggressive, I think, has changed. He’s been much more aggressive this year in a positive way and making the right decisions at the end of it.”

Improved defense

The primary focus of the Pistons’ identity is on the defensive end. One of the biggest developments in Duren’s game has been his production on the defensive end. Detroit is second in NBA defensive rankings, and Duren is one of the biggest reasons why.

Duren is posting the best defensive rating of his career at 107.1. His defensive focus has been much better as a rim protector and against bigs who can operate on the perimeter. Duren has also reduced silly fouls that kept him in foul trouble a lot last season.

The improved defensive effort has also been a product of improved rotations around Duren. Detroit has been able to place backup center Isaiah Stewart in the starting lineup due to injuries to forward Tobias Harris. The Pistons have also benefited from strong collective efforts from Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland, JaVonte Green, and others. Detroit’s defensive depth was not as deep as it is this season, and Duren is certainly a beneficiary of it.

Pistons’ team success

Over the past few seasons, the Pistons have arguably been overlooked for awards due to team success. Cunningham finished in third place for the 2021 Rookie of the Year award due to a 23-59 team record. Bickerstaff came in second place in the 2024-25 Coach of the Year race because Cleveland Cavaliers’ head coach Kenny Atkinson finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference. The tide has turned for Detroit as they are now on top of the East and one of the best teams in the league.

The Pistons’ team success should certainly give Duren an edge over other centers in his conference. He is averaging similar numbers to Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo. New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns is having a down year statistically, and the Knicks have not shown the same dominance as last season. Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is the only other center who may give him a push for the spot, but Duren has an advantage over him due to availability and team record. Embiid would also likely represent Team World instead of the USA based on the new NBA All-Star format.

Duren is set up in a favorable position courtesy of the Pistons’ success. The impressive start helped Cunningham earn his first nod as an All-Star starter. Bickerstaff will also be an All-Star head coach due to what the Pistons have accomplished so far.

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