‘One Of My Biggest Mentors’: Blazers Draft Target Jalen Duren Shares Experience Coached By Rasheed Wallace

The Portland Trail Blazers hosted Memphis Tigers center Jalen Duren for a private workout Monday.

Duren, who doesn’t turn 19 until November, could be the pick if the Blazers keep the No. 7 overall pick.

In his freshman season at Memphis, Duren started 29 games for the Tigers this past season, averaging 12 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

While at Memphis, Duren was coached by Blazers great and 2004 NBA champion Rasheed Wallace.

Wallace played in Portland from 1996-2003. He played an integral role when the Blazers made back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances in 1999 and 2000. Wallace’s 9,119 points scored in Portland places him at No. 11 on the Blazers’ all-time scoring list.

Duren had nothing but great things to say about Wallace when asked about him.

“Coach Sheed is definitely like a mentor to me,” Duren said. “He did a lot for me, so my time with Sheed was great. He’s still, to this day, one of my biggest mentors.”

Duren will have an opportunity to be drafted by the same organization that made his mentor a superstar when the NBA Draft takes place June 23.