X account @TheNBACentel shared a post, claiming that Jalen Duren shared Wendell Carter Jr. and his alleged ex-girlfriend Angel Reese’s stats on his Instagram profile. The post quickly went viral, amassing more than 1.7 million views.
The post depicted a screenshot of Duren’s IG story, which contained Reese and Carter Jr’s stats with the words, “Love and Basketball.” The post is entirely fabricated, as it was confirmed that Duren never shared any such post on social media mentioning either Carter Jr. or Reese.
The claim is part of a larger discourse on social media, which began after Reese shared clips of Duren getting dunked on during the Detroit Pistons’ first-round series against the Orlando Magic. Some fans interpreted her activity as a dig at the Pistons center.
After the Magic took a 3-1 lead, Duren faced significant criticism online, with fans citing his falloff in production in the playoffs. He averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, shooting 65% during the regular season. His numbers have slipped to 10.6 ppg and 9.4 rpg, shooting 52.8% in the playoffs.
Duren finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 5-for-9 in Game 7. Carter Jr., meanwhile, finished Game 7 with 13 points and five rebounds, shooting 3-for-7.
Reese, who recently made her preseason debut with the Atlanta Dream, has yet to find her shot on her new team, shooting 5-for-14 through her first two games.
Jalen Duren on how he adapted to a rough offensive start in the first round against the Magic
Speaking after the Pistons’ series-clinching win on Sunday, Jalen Duren said he pivoted to defense after struggling to find his shot early on in the series.
“If I’m struggling to put the ball in the hole, my whole thing was like, let me just be effective on defense,” Duren said. “I mean, one, I know who I am. I know who the team is. Outside noise is whatever it is. Y’all going to do what y’all supposed to do as the media and create narratives.”
His impact was clear to see in Game 7, with the Pistons giving up just nine offensive rebounds. The Pistons will now face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, tipping off on Tuesday.
Read More: Did Jalen Duren “Expose” Angel Reese For Numerous Past Relationships? Debunking Viral Tweet
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
