Cade Cunningham Calls Jalen Duren "My Favorite Big In The League"

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren were drafted one year apart from each other, and over the past four seasons, they have formed a respectable tandem in Detroit. Though Duren’s future with the Pistons is less than certain, Cunningham has made it clear that he enjoys playing with the big man.

In a recent post-game interview, the 2021 top overall pick dished out high praise for Duren. Cunningham insisted that he was being objective with his positive appraisal of his teammate.

“I tell people he’s my favorite big in the league — non-biased. I wouldn’t take many bigs in the world over him, you know what I’m saying?” Cunningham said. “People don’t really understand that now, but they’ll understand it later on.” 

While neither Cunningham nor Duren fits the description of “grizzled vet” at the moment, Cunningham is adamant that he’s seen the future awaiting the 6-foot-10 center. “He’s young, he’s still working harder than anybody, and he’s gonna be the best big in the league,” the All-Star guard asserted.

After seeing a slight dip in his 2024-25 scoring numbers, Duren is averaging a career-high 17.9 points per game this season. He’s also far and away the Pistons’ best rebounder (11.4 boards per game) in the 2025-26 campaign.

With Cunningham dishing out his own career-high in the assists department (9.6 dimes per outing), Duren has found even more scoring opportunities. His off-ball movement and pick-and-roll dynamic with Detroit’s floor general has been a strong offensive asset for the Pistons, whose 6-2 record has propelled them to second place in the Eastern Conference.

After the Pistons’ playoff appearance last season, things appear to be looking up for the franchise that is looking to become a consistent postseason contender. It remains to be seen, however, if Duren will be a part of the future that the Detroit front office is envisioning. Just before the season began, reports circulated about Duren and Pistons guard Jaden Ivey being unlikely to secure new contracts with the team.

It’s possible that Duren’s impressive numbers will be enough to sway the decision of the Pistons braintrust. If he does get a contract extension, Cunningham can be assured that his “favorite big” will be running up and down the court with him in subsequent seasons.