Detroit Pistons Draft Dreams: Kenneth Faried
The Pistons need a physical, high-energy player to pair next to Greg Monroe. Kenneth Faried of Morehead State has been that guy his entire college career, and his stock could be rising even more after his team’s upset over Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament yesterday.
Info
Measurables: 6-foot-8, 225 pounds, senior PF from Morehead State
Key stats: 17.5 points, 14.6 rebounds, 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 63 percent from the field
Projected: Mid first round
How would he help the Pistons?
I think this comparison might convince some Pistons fans Faried is worthy of considering in the first round:
"Faried is the best rebounder in the college game today. Period. If you do not believe me, just ask Florida coach Billy Donovan.“That’s Dennis Rodman all over again,” Donovan said. “If I was an NBA general manager I’d be taking him with my pick. That’s what a next-level guy looks like. He just totally destroyed our frontcourt."
Well then, I’m sold. But in case that’s not enough for you, check out his defensive rebounding rates for his four years of college: 31.6 percent; 33.3 percent; 36.8 percent; 31.7 percent. Even at a mid-major, those are ridiculous numbers, and pairing Faried with two solid rebounders in Monroe and Ben Wallace next season would go a long way in turning the team’s weakness on the boards into a strength.
How wouldn’t he help the Pistons?
At 6-foot-8, Faried is a bit undersized and playing against mid-major competition, it’s unlikely his offensive production will translate immediately. In the Ohio Valley Conference, he’s stronger and quicker than many of the bigs he’ll play against, but he’ll be one of the smaller bigs in the league at the NBA level.
What are others saying?
"Physically, there’s not much new to say about Faried, an extremely explosive and reactive athlete who runs the floor like a deer and finishes very well around the rim. The majority of his scoring contributions come from his excellent ability to catch the ball in mid air and dunk it, either in transition, on alley-oops, cuts through the lane, or just getting open around the rim. He has excellent hands and the hand-eye coordination to go with it, catching and finishing virtually everything thrown his way."
"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. A big game or two for Morehead State should be the icing on a terrific career."
"Bigger schools who ignored Faried as a raw high schooler tried to lure him away as a sophomore after seeing the way his relentless rebounding helped guide the Eagles to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 25 years."
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