(Image Source: The Commercial Appeal)
Rookie basic information
height: 6 feet 11 inches
weight: 250 Ibs
age: 18.5 yrs
from: Memphis (Freshman)
data: Averaged 12 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 2.1 blocks in 25.3 minutes per game
mock draft (6/13): ESPN: 10th pick in the first round,NBADraft.net: 17th pick in the first round,Bleacher Report: 13th pick in the first round
After James Wiseman, the No. 3 pick in 2020, the next lottery center to come out of Memphis may be Jalen Duren, who just won the ACF Rookie of the Year. Since high school, he has been a five-star high school student in the United States, and even once became one of the four major players in this year’s draft. Duren’s excellent offensive and defensive performance in the paint area, coupled with the age of only 18 years old, has room for development, making him He has been a lottery favorite since college and even joined the discussion of the top five picks.
advantage
(Image Source: University of Memphis Athletics)
Jalen Duren is the best physical fit for a traditional paint center, with a 7-foot-5 wingspan and quick reflexes, allowing him to grab 2.1 blocks per game. His intimidating resistance in the paint is almost any player’s nightmare, and it’s no exaggeration to describe Duren’s NCAA paint defense with one hand covering the sky. And his performance makes any scout believe that he has the potential to become a Gobert-level goalkeeper and an inside defense gatekeeper.
Plus, Duren is a pretty good finisher at the rim, able to catch the ball under the rim and put it firmly inside the rim. Even in confrontational situations, Duren can dunk the ball to the rim, making him an excellent blue-collar center. In addition, his sense of offensive secondary rebounds will allow the team to grab more offensive rebounds and opportunities, and put pressure on the opponent’s penalty area.
Duren’s movement following the pick-and-roll is pretty smooth, too, and scouting reports even suggest he’s a natural pick-and-roll player. Whether it’s sneaking into the restricted area following the pick-and-roll, or making some passing and playmaking skills in the mid-to-high post, Duren’s understanding of the long pick-and-roll will give the team more options on offense.
Finally, there is Duren’s age. The previous rookie articles all contain young physical rookies who are only 18 years old. Duren just turned 18 in November last year, and he is the youngest player in this draft. Since he has already played a freshman season and was born in 2003, he is eligible for the draft. At the age of only 18, he has enough time to grow in the training of his skills, and will even become one of his draft picks. big advantage.
Weaknesses to Improve
(Image Source: NBC Sports)
For Duren, the biggest factor affecting his draft pick is his lackluster offensive ability. At present, he only has the ability to score in the penalty area. Once he is pulled outside the penalty area, he has almost no mid-to-long-range shooting ability. As a result, Duren is likely to make the team’s offense less space.
Duren’s back-to-the-rim ability has yet to be developed, even if it’s an offense that gets inside the rim. His restricted-area footwork and singles ability are far from NBA-ready so far. In addition, he has almost no independent offensive ability and needs to rely on passing to get opportunities to score. In the short term, Duren may be a burden to the team on the offensive end, and he needs to rely on a lot of game experience to increase his ability to play in the post.
In the end, Duren relies more on his bounce and wingspan than his basketball IQ when he plays. Therefore, when he plays, he is prone to some unnecessary mistakes and fouls, and often because he is stuck or trying to make up defenses, he loses the rebounds he should have taken, or empties the opponent’s offensive players.
Future development prospects
Forecast template: Andre Drummond / Robert Williams / Dwight Howard
(Image Source: Bleacher Report)
In the next development of Duren, it is possible to develop towards a purebred center. And when it comes to the purebred center in recent years, it has to be Andre Drummond, the rebounding monster who had been cultivated by the Pistons as the core a few years earlier. The skill sets of the two are also very similar. They have the ability to rebound and protect the rim, but they both lack shooting skills and rely more on their own talents to play.
And if you look at Duren’s dunks and dunks in the paint, you can’t help but think of Hall of Fame center Dwight Howard. Although Duren’s vertical explosiveness and take-off are not as impressive as Howard’s, the two may not be far apart in terms of style and game positioning. In addition, Duren’s blocking skills during the NCAA season are also reminiscent of the inside blocking ability of Robert Williams, dubbed the “green broom”, who shined in the playoffs this year.
Under the fastball trend in recent years, the original seven-foot center needs to have a high-level support and outside shooting. So, on the other hand, Jalen Duren at nearly seven feet may be one of the most unpredictable players in this draft. His talent in the paint is enough to make him a top-five pick in this draft, but his near-zero autonomous offense and perimeter shooting might keep him all the way out of the lottery. But Jalen Duren would be a great option for any team that needs a defensive keeper in the paint, or even hand-to-hand in the paint in the playoffs.
If you like my articles, welcome to my fan page: Lu egg snake Go for a walk!