Jalen Duren Earns All-Star Honors as Pistons Dominate Nets in Historic Blowout
Jalen Duren’s breakout season just got its signature moment.
The 22-year-old center was officially named a 2026 NBA All-Star reserve on Sunday, becoming the third Detroit Piston to earn All-Star recognition this year, joining Cade Cunningham and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The announcement came during a timeout at Little Caesars Arena, and by the time the final buzzer sounded on a 130-77 dismantling of the Brooklyn Nets, Duren had added a dominant performance to match the moment.
This wasn’t just a milestone-it was a statement.
Duren finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds in just 24 minutes, continuing a season that’s seen him evolve into one of the league’s most impactful big men. He’s averaging 18 points and nearly 11 boards per game, but the real leap has come on the defensive end. His 106.8 defensive rating is a career-best, and it’s helped anchor a Pistons team that’s quietly finding its identity on both ends of the floor.
After the game, Duren stepped to the podium with a grin that said it all.
“It was tough because I’m trying to focus on the game,” he said. “I didn’t really want to know until the end.
But I mean, it’s a blessing, man. As I said, it’s hard not to smile.
It’s hard not to be happy. Just a testament to the work.
I thank my teammates, my coaches, and everybody who helped me get here. Couldn’t do it alone - just happy.”
That humility and work ethic haven’t gone unnoticed. The All-Star reserve selections are voted on by NBA coaches, and Duren earning a nod speaks volumes about how respected he’s become around the league. Even veterans like Draymond Green have taken note of his growth this season.
For head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who’s been alongside Duren for the past year and a half, the All-Star selection felt like a culmination of consistent, behind-the-scenes dedication.
“It was awesome,” Bickerstaff said postgame. “That’s why we’re here and that’s why we do the job that we do-to try your best to help people reach their goals.
Being able to work with him is a pleasure every single day. His attitude is the same every single day.
His approach is the same. His work ethic is the same.
His thirst for knowledge and his willingness to want to get better and do the things that we ask him to do to help this team win has just been unbelievable.”
Bickerstaff added that Duren’s development goes beyond the box score.
“In the year-and-a-half that we’ve been together, I’ve been impressed with him so much every single day. More as a person.
I’ve watched him grow as a leader. Now how he’s using his voice.
So, it’s just awesome. It’s a great thing to just be able to sit next to somebody and watch those things happen for him.”
While Duren’s All-Star nod was the headline, the Pistons as a whole put together a performance to remember-routing the Nets by 53 points, the largest margin of victory in franchise history. From start to finish, Detroit controlled the game, never giving Brooklyn a chance to find rhythm.
Cade Cunningham, named an All-Star starter earlier this season, added another historic line to his résumé. In just 26 minutes, he became the first player in NBA history to post at least 18 points, 12 assists, four steals, and three blocks in under 30 minutes. It was a complete performance from a player who’s rapidly becoming one of the most well-rounded stars in the league.
Cunningham has always been known for his offensive poise and playmaking, but it’s his defensive impact this season that’s taken his game to another level. Against the Nets, he was everywhere-disrupting passing lanes, protecting the rim, and orchestrating the offense with surgical precision.
And it wasn’t just the starters getting in on the action. Rookie guard Daniss Jenkins came off the bench and poured in 18 points, part of a 63-point effort from Detroit’s second unit. That kind of depth is what makes this Pistons team increasingly dangerous as the season wears on.
For a franchise that’s been in rebuild mode for years, Sunday felt like a turning point. Not just because of the All-Star selections or the historic win, but because of the way it all came together-young stars stepping into their prime, a team playing with confidence, and a coach getting the most out of his roster.
Jalen Duren’s smile said it best: this moment was earned. And if the Pistons keep building like this, there may be plenty more to come.