The 6'8", 225 pound senior from Morehead State was a relative unknown before this year's NCAA Tournament began. But, after the Eagles' big upset victory over heavily-favored Louisville (game in which he had 12 points and 17 rebounds) in the Round of 64, people are beginning to take notice of the dreadlock-wearing rebounding machine.
On the season, Faried is averaging 17.3 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. Where a lot of players nowadays get rebounds when the ball happens to fall to them, Faried is a throwback to old school fundamentals: find a man, box out, go get the ball at the highest point.
The Newark, NJ native is getting looks from NBA scouts and is projected to go in the first round of this year's draft. My question is, how did major tri-state area schools let this guy get away in the recruiting game? Morehead State? Really?
Coming out of Newark Tech, Faried was two inches shorter and forty pounds lighter than he is now, probably part of the reason for his low recruitment. ESPN Recruiting rated him at just a 75 out of 100, the 124th best player at his position. Could they be any more incorrect?
In my opinion, Faried would be a steal at the back end of the first round. His game reminds me a lot of Ben Wallace, a player of a similar size who was integral in the Pistons' run of success in the mid-2000s. More recently, he could end up like former Pitt star DeJuan Blair, who was picked up by the Spurs in the 2nd round and is now a key big man in their rotation on their contending squad.
Faried would flourish at the NBA if he is in a situation similar to Blair's; picked up by a contender with big men who can teach him the game, rather than go to a struggling team where he is thrust into a starring role to begin his career.
It took him four years at Morehead State to get the recognition he deserved, but I can promise you that Kenneth Faried will be around for a long time to come.
Check out his tough-as-nails block against Richmond in the NCAA Tournament.
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