Coming off a 44-win 2024-25 campaign, expectations were high for the Detroit Pistons heading into the 2025-26 season. The Pistons have proceeded to surpass even those lofty expectations of them. Thanks to another leap from both Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, the Pistons have gotten off to an incredible start to the new campaign, leading the Eastern Conference standings in the early goings with a 13-2 record.

Cunningham's development into one of the best all-around players in the NBA should not come as a surprise to anyone. He was the first overall pick in 2021, so it's not like he was some diamond in the rough that the Pistons unearthed. But Duren's emergence as one of the most dominant big men in the NBA has, indeed, come as more of a surprise.

Duren, in his earlier years in the NBA, looked lost on defense. He was already blossoming into one of the best rebounders in the league, but it's his inability to anchor the Pistons' defense that was proving to be his undoing. But he's turned a corner on that end of the floor, and he's playing with brute, yet controlled, force — allowing Detroit to steamroll opponents.

The Pistons center has come a long way from his days with the Memphis Tigers back in college, and his former head coach, Penny Hardaway, gave him a stamp of approval.

“Jalen will always keep evolving his game,” Hardaway said in appearance on SiriusXM's NBA Today. “He's always going to continue to work on his game and be better and better. You're only seeing him scratch the surface right now. The ceiling is in the way. He just has a bright future.”

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Jalen Duren has taken a leap for the Pistons

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

It goes without saying that Duren is a monster on the glass. He's turned it around on defense as well. But it's the constant improvement on offense that is taking his game to the next level for the Pistons. He's not just your standard rim-rolling big man anymore.

Duren is putting the ball on the floor and even shooting fadeaways and difficult hook shots. He's taking on slower defenders off the dribble and punishing them accordingly. He's become such a scary player to face, and he's only turned 22 years of age.