Through the first seven games of the 2024-2025 NBA season, the Detroit Pistons have been thrilled to see their young core take a step forward. The veteran center Jalen Duren might’ve been off to a quiet start to the year, but he had a major accomplishment on Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Amid an upset victory for the Pistons, Duren checked in 24 minutes as a starter. He didn’t let off a ton of shots, but of his seven attempts, he made all but two of them. Tacking on one free throw, the young big man accounted for 11 points

Duren was also active on the glass on both ends of the floor. He snagged eight of Detroit’s 17 offensive rebounds and collected six defensive rebounds, trailing only Cade Cunningham in that category for the night. With 14 boards, Duren notched a double-double.

With his 67th career double-double, Duren surpasses former Pistons center Andre Drummond for the second-most in that category before turning 21. Duren places behind former Los Angeles Lakers center, Dwight Howard.

With less than two weeks before his 21st birthday, Duren will remain between Drummond and Howard on the list. With those two being some of the most prominent names at the big man position during their primes, Duren is in good company.

While Duren didn’t start full-time when he first arrived in Detroit, he collected a career-high 60 starts during his sophomore campaign last season. With an increase in playing time came an increase in production. Duren produced 14 points and 12 rebounds per game.

This year, Duren’s playing time is slightly down under first-year head coach JB Bickerstaff. As a result, his production has taken a slight dip. Duren has averaged nine points per game. On the glass, he’s coming down with nearly 11 rebounds per game.

The Pistons are finding their groove early on in the season after collecting a second-straight win on Monday night by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. They’ll continue to rely on Duren’s double-double ability as they look to make major improvements after a disappointing season in 2023-2024.