You probably now know Kenneth Faried’s name after No. 13 seed Morehead State’s shocking 62-61 upset win over No. 4 Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Faried had 12 points and 17 rebounds in the game, as well as the game-saving block to preserve the upset win. What you might not know is that NBA scouts have had their eyes on Faried for quite some time, and he could certainly carve out a role for himself in the league.
Morehead State’s Kenneth Faried Shows NBA Talent In 2011 NCAA Tournament
Indeed, Faried is not some NCAA Tournament flash in the pan. Faried is the nation’s leading rebounder, at 14.3 per game, and has more career rebounds than any NCAA player since 1973. Yes, even more than men like Tim Duncan and Paul Millsap. Faried is also an incredible athlete that showed that side of his game off in the game against Louisville. Rebounding translates better than any other stat, so Faried should have a carved-out role in the NBA.
The issue for Faried is that he is undersized. At 6’8” and 215 pounds, he’s better suited to being a small forward, which is problematic because he is not much of a shooter. He shoots under 60 percent from the free-throw line, which is the stat that best indicates whether a player can develop shooting range. For all the great things he did against Louisville, he shot 4-17 and struggled against the Cardinals’ length inside. It’s hard to see how he’ll be able to get his shot off in the NBA.
That said, he’s an elite rebounder and projects to be an outstanding defender. Some team will find a way to use him at the next level, and will surely reap the benefits from taking him too late in the draft.
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WHO: Kenneth Faried, forward, Morehead State. 6’8, 215 pounds. Energy player.
WHEN: Saturday, March 19 vs. Vanderbilt Vs. Richmond winner.
PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION: Fans of the Wizards, Thunder, Suns, Bulls.
NBA COMPARISON: Renaldo Balkman in the right environment.
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