ORLANDO, Fla. — Jalen Duren, the dynamic big man who helped power Montverde Academy to a national championship last March, revealed Friday night that he will bypass his senior year of high school basketball to play for the University of Memphis.
Duren, a chiseled 6-10, 230-pound post player, chose the college route and a Memphis coaching staff headed by former Orlando Magic great Penny Hardaway over options that included professional play. In a final five list he unveiled in early July, Duren listed Kentucky and Miami as his other two potential college choices. He also had two pro possibilities: signing with the NBA’s G League Ignite team or with a club in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL).
All of those moves set up Duren to be eligible for the 2022 NBA draft, and he is projected to be a possible No. 1 pick.
