PHILADELPHIA — During last season’s All-Star break in February, Jalen Duren tapped in with a former Detroit Pistons legend.
The 21-year-old center – now in the midst of a breakout season – has a close relationship with Rasheed Wallace. The native Philadelphians linked with each other in the city for two-a-day workout sessions, and they got in, according to Duren, “some good bump.”
What does a workout with Wallace, one of the most versatile big men of his era, look like?
“It consists of everything,” Duren recalled after the team’s practice at Kean University in Union, New Jersey – about 85 miles northeast of Philadelphia – on Saturday, Nov. 8. “We worked a lot of touch around the rim, a lot of playing out of that pick and roll. A lot of spots where I’d be able to gain. It was nothing that was outside of what I do. It was sharpening my tools and giving me gems moreso than anything, him giving me advice and knowledge on the game and what he’s seen. It was a good workout. It was a good workout.”
Duren has done his best to channel Wallace’s impact through the Pistons’ strong start to this season, particularly on defense. He’s playing the best basketball of his career – averaging 19.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and a steal per game – to help power their 8-2 record (their best 10-game start since opening the 2005-06 season at 9-1).
He had yet another dominant performance in Sunday’s 111-108 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, finishing with 21 points, 16 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. With Isaiah Stewart out with a right ankle sprain, it was Duren who sustained the Pistons’ rim protection and defensive intensity en route to erasing a 10-point halftime deficit and holding the Sixers to 36.8% shooting in the second half.
Wallace was a notorious talker, in every context. His defensive communication for the Pistons was critical to the success of the franchise’s “Goin’ To Work” era, and his antagonistic relationship with officials earned him a historic number of technical fouls. But his ability to call out coverages and keep his teammates organized was instrumental as the Pistons carved out an identity as the best defensive team of their era.
Duren said that’s his biggest takeaway from his conversations with Wallace about defense. His game has grown across the board, but his improvement as a defender has been most noticeable. And his teammates and coaches are noticing his effort.
“Talking,” Duren said. “How much dialogue, your voice, that being the anchor on the court. Can’t stress that enough, he’s a guy that’s loud, that’s vocal on both ends of the floor. That was one of things he stressed to me the most, is being the anchor is using your voice to talk and let everybody know what’s going on and being a defensive playmaker.”
His double-double Sunday was the latest in a string of dominant performances. He torched the Brooklyn Nets with 30 points, 11 rebounds and three steals on Friday, tallied 22 points and 22 rebounds in a win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday and scored a career-high 33 points in a win over the Dallas Mavericks in Mexico City on Nov. 1.
The Pistons have the league’s best rim defense through 10 games, holding opposing teams to 56.5% in that zone. It’s a team-wide effort that starts with Duren and Stewart, and Duren’s improved communication has been a factor.
“To be the anchor of our defense, communication is key and he’s been the guy in there, especially with Stew being out, that’s had to make all the calls and tell everybody where we’re going, where the help is and of all that and then execute his coverages the same,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Sunday. “It’s been a huge step for him but it’s what we need and what guys are willing to do to help this team.”
February wasn’t Duren’s first time working with Wallace, who was an assistant coach at Memphis during Duren’s lone season there, in 2021-22. They’re both Philadelphia basketball legends in their own right. Duren, who was born in Sharon Hill, south of the city, starred at Roman Catholic before transferring to national basketball powerhouse Monteverde Academy, in Florida, entering his junior season. Duren was the No. 1 recruit of the 2022 draft class when he committed to Memphis.
Wallace was born in Germantown, northwest of Philadelphia, and was named USA TODAY’s High School Player of the Year at Simon Gratz. He was the catalyst behind the Pistons’ 2004 championship after they swung a midseason trade for him, forming the league’s most formidable defensive frontcourt alongside Ben Wallace.
“Obviously ‘Sheed is a legend, not only in the city but in the game of basketball,” Duren said. “The things he’s done – I think he’s one of the first, I’ll say he’s one of the first stretch-fours, guys who really were 7 foot who were shooting the ball at a high clip, especially at that time.
“The connection came from just being in the same area, obviously, him being one of the legends. We both knew some of the same people. He knew some of my agents coming in. Obviously, he was one of my coaches at Memphis, too. That was the big reason I went there. He was a big reason I went there. Ever since then it’s just been a growing connection.”
Duren, who is in his fourth season, doesn’t turn 22 until Nov. 18. He has been one of the top centers in the league this season thanks to his defensive growth and impeccable chemistry with Cade Cunningham, with whom he has one of the league’s best alley-oop connections.
It’s a contract season for Duren, who will enter restricted free agency this summer. His impact on the team has been palpable. He’s in the midst of a leap.
“He’s been amazing,” said Cunningham, who had 26 points and 11 assists in the win over the Sixers. “He’s at the rim consistently. People know they have to go through him to get to our rim. His talking has always been something that he’s been great at. He has a big voice that he can communicate without guys. He’s the anchor of the defense on the backside and we put a lot of faith in him talking to us and protecting our rim and he’s done a great job.”
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X @omarisankofa.
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Next up: Wizards
Matchup: Pistons (8-2) vs. Washington (1-9).
Tipoff: 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10; Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.
TV/radio: Peacock (streaming); WXYT-FM (97.1).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Rasheed Wallace’s mentorship of Jalen Duren delivers big for Detroit Pistons
Reporting by Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
