Rashid Wallace’s fingerprint?

Jalen Duren is coming off a career-best 19.4 points and 11.8 rebounds average after ten games, including a game-high 33 points against the Mavericks in early November. He also had a game with 30 points and 11 rebounds against the Nets, or 22 points and 22 rebounds against the Jazz.

Statistics that contrast with what he offered last season, too passive, averaging just 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in 78 games.

To find the sources of this statistical explosion, we may have to go back to the 2024/25 campaign, specifically around the time of the All-Star break, when he trained twice a day with Rasheed Wallace.

To find the sources of this statistical explosion, we certainly have to look at this 2024-25 campaign, specifically during the All-Star break, a period during which Jalen Duren practiced twice a day with Rasheed Wallace.

“We’ve been working a lot on my touch near the rim, pick-and-roll, and a lot of areas where I could still improve”, explained by Jalen Duren. “It was nothing different from what I usually did. First of all to improve my skills and get valuable advice from him. He shared with me his knowledge of the game based on what he observed. It was a very good job.”

The importance of good communication

And if Jalen Duren seems to have reached a turning point offensively, so has defensively: through ten games, he’s averaging 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals, including a career-high three steals against the Nets. And here this progress would be linked to the exchanges he had with Rasheed Wallace.

“We talked about the importance of using your voice, dialogue and being an anchor on the pitch”pursuit Jalen Duren. “We don’t emphasize enough the fact that he was a very vocal guy, who communicated a lot on both sides of the court. This is one of the pieces of advice he gave me the most: be a leader, use your voice, let everyone know what’s going on on the court and don’t forget to be a playmaker on defense.”

A direct consequence: the Pistons’ near-circle defense is, at the start of the season, the best in the league. Success that is based above all on effective communication, as JB Bickerstaff explains.

A direct consequence of Rasheed Wallace’s teachings to Jalen Duren, the Pistons defense near the circle that is the best in the League at the beginning of the season. Success that requires above all good communication, as Detroit coach JB Bickerstaff explained.

“To be the anchor of our defense, communication is essential”underlines the coach of the Pistons. “In the absence of Isaiah Stewart (hit in the ankle during the win against the Sixers), he’s been the one calling all the actions: where everyone should position, where the help is coming from … all while providing his own defensive coverage. It’s a big step for him, but it’s exactly what we need.”