SI All-American Candidate Jalen Duren Highlights and Evaluation

Jalen Duren is a center prospect from Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla. Duren is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: C Jalen Duren (2022)
Projected Position: Center
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-9, 220 pounds
School: Montverde (Fla.) Academy
Schools of Interest: Kentucky, Howard, UCLA, Villanova, Ole Miss, Alabama, Georgetown, Michigan, Auburn, Maryland and Penn State, among many others.

Frame: Lean and strong, Duren will continue to add muscle at the next level and beyond.

Athleticism: Duren is a natural athlete with exceptional agility and strength, which enables him to dominate in and out of the paint. Duren’s quickness gives him an edge over slower bigs and he runs the floor extremely well. 

Instincts: Duren has a high basketball IQ and recognizes situational advantages quickly. He’s adept at getting prime positioning in the paint and and out-muscles most opposing players for scores and rebounds. Duren also has great timing as a shot-blocker and changes shots in abundance. 

Polish: Duren’s mere presence makes the offense run more efficiently and opposing drivers think twice about entering the paint. He has great hands and the versatility to knockdown mid-range and perimeter shots.

Bottom Line: Duren has an NBA body with natural strength and all the tools on both ends of the floor that will make him an integral part of any college roster. When the time comes, Duren’s versatility, strength and motor will likely make him a high pick in the NBA lottery.