Jalen Duren’s All-Star Selection Brings Out Emotions From Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are one of the hottests teams in the NBA.

And they're coming off a dominant victory.

On Sunday, Feb. 1, the Pistons welcomed the Brooklyn Nets to Detroit for an Eastern Conference matchup. After four quarters of dominating play, they walked away with a 130-77 victory, a difference of 53 points. It's the team's largest margin of victory this season.

The Pistons were led by five players in double figures, including two of the team's 2026 All-Stars.

Following the win, the team was notified that Jalen Duren would be joining Cade Cunningham as an All-Star. Duren will serve as a reserve, with Cunningham being given the status of a starter for his excellent season.

All-Star Weekend is set for Feb. 13 through Feb. 15, from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. This year's celebration of the game's most talented athletes is the 75th game all-time, with tip set for 5:00 p.m. EST on the 15th.

After the big win over Brookyln, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked about the impact of Duren and just how reliable he's been on the court this season. He's currently averaging a career-high 18 points and 10.7 rebounds per game with 63.4% of his shots going down from the field.

"Being able to work with him every single day is a pleasure," Bickerstaff said. "His attitude is the same every single day, his approach is the same every single day and his work ethic is the same... It's just been unbelievable.

"The year and a half we've been together... I've just been so impressed by him."

“It was awesome…Being able to work with him is a pleasure.”

Bickerstaff speaks on Jalen Duren receiving his first career All-Star selection. pic.twitter.com/XeBB9RKYE8
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) February 2, 2026

Duren's currently in his fourth season in the league, spending the previous three years trying to find reliability and consistency underneath the basket. Just last year, he put up 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds. It's never been his work on the glass that's come into question, rather his ability to score, something that's taken a big leap over time.

“He’s dominated the paint on both ends of the floor, whether it’s scoring, rebounding, protecting the rim, his playmaking, his ability to score and go get it on his own,” Bickerstaff said a few weeks back. “But even on top of that, not hollow. He’s impacted winning in a high way and any time a team is sitting first in a conference anywhere, multiple guys should get the nod because if winning is the ultimate goal and that’s where you gain your respect, nobody’s done it at a higher level.”

He's never going to be a floor spacer, but his ability to play in the post and force his way into getting open looks is what makes him special. Across his entire career, he's averaging 64.9% from the field.

This year, though, whether it's the coaching of Bickerstaff or an increase in confidence, he's looked like an even better version of what he's put out on the court at ages 19 through 21.

"It was tough, trying to focus on the game. I didn't really want to know until the end," Duren said about being notified of his All-Star honor mid-game. "It's a blessing. It's hard not to smile, not to be happy. It's just a testimony to the work.

"I thank my teammates, my coaches, everybody who helped me get here. I couldn't do it alone."

“It’s a blessing…Just happy.”

Jalen Duren speaks on being selected as an All-Star for the first time in his career. #Pistons pic.twitter.com/KaGezKicic
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) February 2, 2026

The Pistons as a whole seem to love working with Duren, who's complementing the star-like play of Cunningham this season. The 24-year-old guard may be on pace to become the league's MVP, as he's averaging 25.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.7 assists a night.

Heading into the upcoming trade deadline, it'll be a shock to see the Pistons make any moves, as a team with 26 wins under its belt will rarely shake things up.

The Pistons will look to Cunningham and Duren to continue leading the team to success on Tuesday, Feb. 3, as they look to take on the Denver Nuggets. The two sides will square off at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. EST.