When The Denver Nuggets used the 22nd overall pick of The 2011 National Basketball Association Draft to select Morehead State University forward Kenneth Faried, some looked it as an afterthought. In his last three seasons in college, Faried averaged a double-double in points and rebounds which was highlighted by him averaging 17.3 points per game and 14.5 rebounds in his final season. In 2011, Faried led a first round upset in The NCAA Tournament over The Louisville Cardinals who had aspirations of making The Final Four. It was poetic that Morehead State’s victory came at The Pepsi Center in Denver in which Faried now calls home. Like many professional athletes that come from small colleges, Faried plays with a chip on his shoulder as he is constantly showing people that he has a point to prove.
In his rookie season, Faried averaged 10.2 points per game along with 7.7 rebounds and 1.0 block. Faried finished third in the voting for The NBA Rookie of The Year as he helped The Nuggets make the playoffs. The Nuggets took The Los Angeles Lakers to seven games in their first round series in The Western Conference Playoffs before bowing out. The series saw Faried average 10.4 points and 10 rebounds.
Faried has slightly improved his numbers so far this season as he is averaging 12.2 points and 9.8 boards. Faried has put up big numbers in games this season despite the competition that he is facing. In two games against the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat, Faried averaged 19 points and 16 rebounds. On December 12th against The Minnesota Timberwolves, Faried finished the game with 26 points and 14 rebounds. On December 26, Faried went for 21 points and 15 rebounds in a Nuggets 126-114 victory over The Lakers which he followed up two nights later with 11 points and 19 rebounds in a Nuggets 106-85 victory over The Dallas Mavericks. On January 9th, Faried took the term double-double to another level as he poured in 19 points and 19 rebounds in The Nuggets 108-105 victory over The Orlando Magic. Last weekend at The NBA’s All-Star Weekend, Faried earned MVP honors in The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge as he notched 40 points and 10 rebounds.
There are many hard workers in The NBA and Faired is right in that category. Faried has been dubbed “Manimal” by his peers as he is half man, half animal on the basketball court. I liken Faried’s game to that of former NBA player Jerome Williams who went by the nickname of “The Junk Yard Dog”. Williams was never the type of rebounder or scorer that Faried has the potential to be, but they both share a tenacity. When it comes to a rebound Faried doesn’t believe that possession in nine tenths of the law; he feels that the basketball is his and his solely.
As the game of basketball is changing where some forwards tend to play like shooting guards, it is nice to see throwback type player like Faried. For Nuggets head coach George Karl, he knows that his key scorers on the team are point guard Ty Lawson and small forward Danilo Gallinari as the pair have combined to average over 33 points per contest, but it still a tremendous boost to have a player like Faried who will do the little things on the court in order to make his team successful.
What makes the future so bright for Faried is that he is a hungry player. As I previously stated, players from small schools tend to play with a chip on their shoulders. Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman came from tiny Southeastern Oklahoma State University and he went on to become arguably the greatest rebounder of all-time. Before point guard John Stockton team with Karl Malone on The Utah Jazz for numerous years, he attended Gonzaga University before attending the tiny school in Washington was as fashionable as it is today. I am not saying that Faried will become a Hall of Famer like Rodman and Stockton, but he will continue to get better because he is hungry.
Faried will continue to work on his all-around game and when it is all said and done, we should be looking at a multiple time All-Star selection.
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