Kenneth Faried, PF

Most draft evaluators are in agreement that outside of Faried, the only other senior prospect with a chance for hearing their name called during the draft's lottery is Brigham Young's Jimmer Fredette. Both players might have to learn how to play other positions at the pro level.

Fredette, a point guard for the Cougars, is likely to be a combo guard, while Faried, who dominated in the middle as a center, will be a power forward. The common theme with both beyond the four-year college stays that make them rare to modern drafts is neither tries to be something he's not on the basketball court. Fredette is a smooth shooter, Faried an energized rebounding and defensive dynamo.

Born Kenneth Bernard Faried Lewis, the Eagles' big man was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and an All-American in 2010. He closed out his career ranked second in school and conference history with 1,673 rebounds, topped by only the Eagles' Steve Hamilton (1,675; 1954-58). His rebound total was the most by an NCAA player since the institution revised their statistics in 1973 (previous best was 1,571 by Tim Duncan of Wake Forest, 1994-98).

Faried's 1,673 rebounds rank 11th in the history of college basketball, and his 508 boards in 2010-11 marked the ninth time since the 1973 season that a collegiate had at least 500 rebounds in a campaign. He blocked 228 shots during his career, the third-best total by an Ohio Valley Conference performer, and his 2,009 points scored placed him 12th in OVC annals.

Faried attended Technology High School in Newark, New Jersey. He received local recruiting interest from Marist and Iona colleges in New York, but chose to attend Morehead State University. He was a member of the OVC's All-Newcomer team after starting 20-of-30 games during the 2007-08 campaign. He averaged 10.0 points per game and his average of 8.03 rebounds was a team-best.

As a sophomore, Faried was named to the OVC All-Tournament team. He started all 36 games at center, leading the league and ranking third in the nation with an average of 13.0 rebounds per game. He shot 55.6 percent from the field, totaling 499 points for a 13.86-point average. He also blocked 68 shots.

Faried continued his defensive excellence in 2009-10. He placed second in the nation by grabbing 13.029 rebounds per game and shot 56.4 percent from the field. The OVC Player of the Year and All-District first-team pick tallied 590 points, an average of 16.857 points per contest. He blocked 67 shots and also proved to be a pretty good on-ball defender with his 56 steals while playing in 35 contests.

The NABC National Defensive Player of the Year earned All-American recognition as a senior. He put together perhaps one of the finest seasons ever for the university, leading the nation in rebounds per game (14.514) and double-doubles (29). His field goal percentage of .623 was the third-best in the NCAA Division I ranks, as he averaged 17.29 points per game. He blocked a career-high 82 shots and totaled 67 steals to go with 37 assists. After his final collegiate game, Faried earned high praise from his coach.

Positives: Has a lot of Dennis Rodman-like ability in his game as an outstanding rebounder, highly effective shot blocker, all-out hustler with no regard for his safety going for loose balls and a willingness to do the grunt work to establish position … Lacks any sort of mid-range offensive game, but with his long reach and superb leaping ability, he has made a nice living scoring around the rim and has the hops to crash the offensive boards for putbacks, along with the elevation high above the rim to deliver the emphatic dunk … With his huge wingspan, he is very effective at altering shots and disrupting passing lanes (led the nation with 14.5 rebounds per game last year, posting a career average of 12.3 rebounds per game, as his 1,678 boards are the most in the NCAA modern era {1973} and has also recorded 241 blocks and 228 steals in 136 games) … Simply explodes off the ground going to the rim, and loves to mix it up with opponents in the paint (would be even more dominant once he adds more bulk and strength) … Despite his size and playing the center position, he is very nimble running the court and that long reach of his, combined with his leaping ability, allows him to consistently alter shots … Has the loose hips and lateral agility to take the man off the dribble and his penchant for being disruptive in the passing lanes saw his 67 steals last year pace the big men in this draft class … Is a major work in progress shooting even from mid-range, but gets excellent trajectory on his shot … Ranked among the nation's leaders in converting on his possessions when working in the paint … Has explosiveness around the rim to compensate for the height gives up to the bigger inside players … Also has very good quickness getting out in transition … was never asked to defend on the perimeter, but uses his body like a weapon to push out shooters when working around the rim … Some teams might feel that he even lacks the ideal size for a power forward, but compensates with a long wingspan, good standing reach, superb leaping ability and great lane agility … Very good at drawing contact on the way to the basket, but has poor shooting mechanics from the foul line … Works well in unison with his guards as a cutter, showing the ability to generate the jams or lay ups (has to improve his ability to deliver with his left hand, though) … Maintains his position with good consistency when playing in the post, using his strength to box out the bigger forwards and centers … Does a fine job of applying pressure defense, as his opponent will constantly struggle to execute their shots (likes to face up with his man often) … Has the lower body strength to create space for himself under the basket (good on put-backs) … Has the initial step to drive to the basket from the perimeter … Can muscle his way to the rim vs. the smaller defenders, doing a nice job of sinking his baby hook shot.

Negatives: Played out of position in college as a center in a league with few prospects and at 6-8, 225, he needs to improve his overall strength to play power forward in the NBA … Has dominated vs. low-level competition, but has had just brief experience going vs. elite talent (still untested, except for his level of play in this year's NCAA tourney) … Outstanding rebounder, but lacks a solid skill set as a shooter and when he does make those attempts, he is very reliant on his right hand … Lacks good counter moves, especially with his back to the basket (will almost always go over his left shoulder) … His post-up skills are just adequate and he needs to work on improving his touch, especially when using his left hand … Most of his turnover problems happen when he puts the ball on the floor for more than one dribble … Could have stamina issues if he plays in high elevation arenas (asthmatic) … Has no creativity in his offensive game and most of his scoring opportunities are the result of rebounding skills around the offensive glass (putbacks, dunks and gaining position in the paint) … Opponents won't commit too early when he drives to the rim, for when he does create contact, they know he is one of the worst shooters in the draft from the foul line (made just 58.3 percent of his free throws at MSU) … Has to be quicker getting the pass away when trying to create for others (possible vision issues) and his lack of ability to keep the ball on the floor for long is very inviting for a ball thief (looks rigid and fails to keep the sphere close to his body or keep his head up, failing to recognize the rotation defense) … Prefers to get the ball on catch-&-shoot situations and must do a much better job in the low post, as he does not show the ability to step back from the rim … Effective at using his body setting screens, but teams know he is not a scoring option on the perimeter (made just 3-of-12 treys during his career) and has no face-the-basket game to be a viable scoring option at power forward, which will limit his minutes at that position until he can develop a better offensive repertoire.

Compares To: DENNIS RODMAN, ex-Pistons, Bulls and Spurs -- Like Rodman, Faried is an outstanding rebounder and a very good shot blocker, but his lack of an offensive game will limit him to being a role player. He has no face-up game of note and is woefully ineffective outside the paint. The college center was rarely tested against top competition but held his own in the NCAA Tournament. He's an all-out hustler, very tough in the paint and extremely aggressive crashing the boards. Faried is without question the best rebounder in this draft, but that specialty is rarely coveted in the draft. In the last decade, just a third of college's top rebounders had success at the NBA level and nine of those that did make it went undrafted. Faried is certain to go in the first round, but it will be to a team that overvalues his rebounding and shot-blocking skills.

--Dave Te' Thomas

Faried was named to the 2011 Lefty Driesell Defensive All-American Team … Also selected to eight different All-American teams, which include The NBA Draft Report, Associated Press, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, National Association of Basketball Coaches, Fox Sports, Yahoo, Lute Olson and Sports Illustrated … Had his jersey #35 retired by the university on Senior Day in February … All-Ohio Valley Conference first-team selection and named the league's Player of the Year … Chosen MVP at the NABC Reese's All-Star game, as he had a 17-point, 18-rebound performance … Was chosen National Association of Basketball Coaches Under Armour Defensive Player of the Year … The two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and three-time OVC Defensive Player of the Year, Faried led Morehead State to its second OVC Tournament championship in the last three years … OVC All-Tournament team pick … Started all 35 games at center, leading the nation in rebounds (14.514 rebounds per game) and double-double performances (29) … Ranked third national in field goal percentage (62.3 percent, 233-of-374) … Made 139-of-241 free throws (57.7 percent) … His 508 rebounds marked just the fourth time in the NCAA modern era (since 1973) that a Division I player had 500 boards in a season … Handed out 37 assists and had 67 steals (1.914 steals per game) … Was 27th in the nation and led the OVC with a career-high 82 blocked shots (2.343 blocks per game) … Was a finalist for the Naismith and John Wooden Awards.

HIGHLIGHTS

Tallied 20 points and 18 rebounds at nationally-ranked Florida … Had 15 points and 12 rebounds at second-ranked Ohio State … Erupted for 25 points and 20 rebounds at SIU- Edwardsville … Corralled 20 rebounds vs. Tennessee-Martin at home … Posted 23 points and 23 rebounds vs. Tennessee State … Had his third 20-20 performance with 21 points and 20 boards at Jacksonville State … Scored 12 points, grabbed 21 rebounds and tied an OVC tournament record with eight blocks in the semifinal win over Austin Peay … Scored 24 points and had 15 rebounds in the OVC tournament title game vs. Tennessee Tech.

Third-team All-American and first-team Defensive All-American choice by The NBA Draft Report … Named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press … Earned All-District honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches … Was named the OVC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Conference choice … Selected to the CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson All-American team and to the Lefty Dreisell Defensive All-American Team … Ranked second in the nation in rebounding and double-doubles … Averaged 16.857 points (590) and 13.029 rebounds (456) per game overall and 16.8 points and 14.0 rebounds per game vs. OVC schools … Ranked third in the OVC in scoring and first in rebounding and led the Eagles in both categories … Led the team in field goal percentage (.564; 224-of-397), blocks (67) and steals (56) … Entered the season as the OVC Preseason Player of the Year and an OVC Preseason All-Conference pick … Was the nation's returning leading rebounder … Five-time OVC Player of the Week selection.

Named to the OVC All-Tournament Team … Started all 36 games at center, as he averaged 13.861 points (499), 13.0 rebounds (468), 1.889 blocks (68) per game, as he also had a career-best 52 assists (1.444 apg) and 68 steals (1.889 steals per game) … Ranked second in the nation and led the OVC in rebounding … Topped the 20-point plateau seven times during the year.

Named to the OVC All-Newcomer Team … Played in all 30 games with 20 starts … Averaged 10.5 points (315) and a team-high 8.033 rebounds (241) … Blocked a team-high 24 shots, as he shot 51.6 percent from the field (132-of-256) … Scored in double figures 16 times, had 10 or more rebounds 10 times and had seven double-doubles … Added nine assists and 37 steals.

Faried appeared in 136 games at Morehead State, becoming the 12th player in Ohio Valley Conference history to score 2,000 points (2,009) in a career, as he averaged 14.772 points per game, making 783-of-1,376 field goals (56.9 percent) and 440-of-755 free throws (58.3 percent) … His 1,673 rebounds rank 11th all-time in NCAA history and broke the modern era record (since 1973) of 1,571 boards by Tim Duncan of Wake Forest (1994-98) … His 86 career double-doubles place him just one behind only Tim Duncan in doubles-doubles in NCAA Division I history … His total rank second in school and conference annals, topped by Steve Hamilton (1,675; 1954-58) … His 508 rebounds as a senior are topped by only Hamilton (543 in 1956-57) on the school and OVC season-record chart … His 508 rebounds in 2010-11 rank fourth in the NCAA modern era (since 1973), behind Marvin Barnes of Providence (571 in 1972-73; 597 in 1973-74) and Kermit Washington of American University (511 in 1972-73) … Averaged 12.301 rebounds per game as a collegian … Blocked 241 shots, ranking third on the conference all-time record chart behind Lorenzo Coleman of Tennessee Tech (439; 1993-97) and Josh Lewis of Austin Peay State (257; 2000-03) … Had 117 assists (0.86 apg) and 228 steals (1.676 steals per game).

Attended Technology (Newark, N.J.) High School, where he averaged 23.2 points and 15.8 rebounds and hit 64 percent from the field as a senior … Also blocked 89 shots on the way to leading the team to the sectional semifinals in his final season … That year, he also earned First-Team All-Essex County honors and played in the New Jersey-Connecticut All-Star Game … Earned many awards at prestigious summer camps, including top rebounder at a Five-Star Basketball Camp … Scored more than 1,000 points and had more than 1,000 rebounds in his high school career.

Business major … Father, Kenneth Lewis, lives in Jersey City, New Jersey … Mother, Waudda Faried, lives with her wife in Newark, New Jersey; the couple entered into a civil union in 2007 … Born Kenneth Bernard Faried Lewis on 11/19/89 in Newark, New Jersey.