Five-star prospect Jalen Duren on Friday announced that he will reclassify to the class of 2021 and play next season at the University of Memphis under head coach Penny Hardaway.
Duren, who is rated the No. 4 prospect, chose Memphis over other collegiate programs such as Kentucky and Miami. He was also said to be considering playing in the NBA G League and the National Basketball League in Australia.
The 6-foot-10 center played last season at the Montverde Academy, averaging 14.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots in 23 games. He also played in the Nike EYBL season this summer where he averaged 13.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.9 assists in 15 games.
Jalen Duren is reclassifying to 2021 and will play college basketball at Memphis #delhs @Memphis_MBB pic.twitter.com/5GQ9mH3feF
— Brad Myers (@BradMyersTNJ) August 6, 2021
Duren has drawn comparisons to Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat given his size and skillset on the court. The physicality Duren plays with makes him a force in the paint while he is thought to be very advanced in his abilities at this stage of his career.
His commitment to Memphis is a huge addition to the program. It could also help them potentially lure Emoni Bates, who also reclassified and included Memphis in his top four. With Duren, the Tigers figure to be favorites to win the American Athletic Conference.
The Tigers jumped up to No. 5 in the recruiting rankings with Duren on board.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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