NBA Draft Profiles: Kenneth Faried, Morehead State

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Stats: 17.3 ppg, 14.5 rpg (5.7 off.), 2.3 bpg, 1.9 spg, 62.3% FG

Age: 21, senior

Size:

• Listed: 6'8", 225 lb
• Official: 6'6" (no shoes), 6'6.75" (with shoes), 7'0" (wingspan), 9'0" (reach), 225 lb

Strengths: You know what you are going to get with Faried. There may not be a harder worker in the country than Faried. He runs the floor, he dives on the ground for loose balls, he is a willing and capable defender (although this was tough to judge, Morehead State played zone), and -- most notably -- he is a voracious rebounder, setting the NCAA's all-time record in that category this season. While Faried feasted on OVC competition throughout his career, he had more than enough big performances against quality competition -- for example, the 20 points and 18 boards he had against Florida or the 15 points and 12 boards he had despite foul trouble against Ohio State -- for NBA-types to be comfortable in assuming that Faried's success wasn't just a manifestation of the level he played college basketball at.

Weaknesses: Faried is a sensational rebounder, but sensational rebounders and blue-collar heroes do not an NBA star make. Faried is under 6'7" with shoes on, which makes him closer to the size of a shooting guard than the size of an NBA post player. He's a very strong young man, but he still only checks in at 225 lb. That lack of ideal size can be overlooked given Faried's length, athleticism, and aggressiveness, however. What is more disconcerting is that Faried doesn't have much of an offensive game beyond dunking the ball. He's got a decent right-handed hook, but beyond that he doesn't have many post moves and he has almost no mid-range or face-up game.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: The obvious and glaring comparison is Dennis Rodman. The Worm was outsized every time he stepped on the floor, but he still ended up being one of the best rebounders and defenders at his position during his career. That's a high ceiling for Faried. A more realistic best-case is probably somewhere around a Udonis Haslem, an undersized four that does a lot of dirty work.


• Worst Case Scenario: A player of the Mark Madsen, Louis Admundson ilk. A hard-working energy guy off the bench that sees minutes in short spurts.

Outlook: Faried is already a success story. An under recruited prospect out of the hood in Newark, NJ, Faried ended up at Morehead State, which was one of the only schools to offer him a scholarship. All the success he has at at the Kentucky school has come while his mother is back home battling a bad case of Lupus with her wife. The fact Faried has made it from Newark to Morehead State to the first round of the NBA Draft is incredible in its own right. But don't expect this young man to quit while he's ahead. I've paid close attention to Faried the past three years, and there are few players I've seen that consistently play as hard as him. Yes, he'll need to add to his offensive repertoire to ever be more than role player, but there are not many players in the NBA willing and able to defend, rebound, and win the 50-50 balls.

Draft Range: Mid-to-Late 1st Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "For the past two years, we've listed Faried in the "sleeper" category. No more. NBA scouts know him well, and many believe he'll be a lottery pick on draft night. His energy and knack for grabbing rebounds is elite -- some go so far to say Dennis Rodman-esque."


• Draft Express: "Slightly undersized, limited offensively, and inexperienced defensively, Faried has a fair share of question marks. However, he has a clear NBA-level skill, and the type of motor coaches dream of, which can't be said for every prospect. Expecting him to come in and emerge as a major impact player early in his career is a stretch, but Faried certainly seems to have the tools to fill a Louis Amundson-type role for a team looking for a workhorse to infuse their team with energy off the bench. If he works on his weaknesses and adapts to the professional game, Faried could live up to the lofty expectations he's set for himself with his outstanding college career."


• Swish Scout: "Excellent combination of length, strength, athleticism, and motor that helps him excel on the boards and defensive playmaking. Undersized for an NBA post player and very raw offensively, but should be a solid hustle player in the league."

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