Former Morehead State men's basketball center Kenneth Faried has agreed to terms with the Zhenjiang Guangsha Lions hoops club in China.
Founded in 2006, the Lions perform at the Hangzhou Stadium. Guangsha fields their competition in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association. Guangsha is the name of the club's corporate sponsor, but to prevent confusion with the older Zhejiang Golden Bulls, many Chinese websites refer to the team as the Guangsha Lions. By adding Faried, Guangsha will look to achieve regular season champion honors for the second time in three seasons.
The Newark, N.J., native heads across the Pacific Ocean after "The Manimal" spent a season with the NBA's Houston Rockets. After being moved from the Denver Nuggets to the Brooklyn Nets in the same season, Faried returned to form after a trade to the Rockets. He worked his way back to starter status, averaging nearly 13 points on 59 percent shooting, and eight rebounds per contest.
Faried was drafted by the Denver Nuggets with the 22nd pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. In seven seasons with the Nuggets, he averaged 11.4 points per tilt on 54 percent field goal efficiency, along with eight rebounds per go-around. Proving his worth to the organization as a go-getter on the boards and a workhorse in the paint, Faried penned a four-year, $50 million extension with the Denver Nuggets prior to the 2015-16 campaign.
Faried posted a NBA career-high 34 points versus the New Orleans Pelicans on April 2, 2014. His career high on his rebounding ability came on December 26 of the same year, yanking down 25 rebounds (12 offensive, also a career-high) against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
During his time in the Mile High City, Faried was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team of 2012, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting. Additionally, he was presented with the NBA Community Assist Award, as well as the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2013. The latter honor is bestowed upon a player, coach, or staff member who shows "outstanding service and dedication to the community."
Faried graduated from Morehead State University in May 2011 with a bachelor's degree in communications.
As a senior at MSU, Faried racked up quite the resume, perhaps the most prestigious among them being named NABC Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to taking home the same honor for the Ohio Valley Conference for three years running ('09, '10, '11), he was named Second Team All-American by FOXSports.com, Third Team All-American by the NABC and Associated Press, and Honorable Mention All-American by Yahoo Sports.
Faried finished as the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year to conclude the 2009-10 and 2010-11 schedules, averaging 16.9 points and 13 rebounds his penultimate year, while tabbing 17.3 points and 14.5 rebounds in his final slate. He completed his stint in Morehead with OVC Player of the Week a conference-record eight times in his senior campaign, taking home the award 15 times in his career.
Faried's contributions to the 2010-11 Eagles highlighted a unit that upsurged to 25 wins on the season, tied for the most in school history with the 1983-84 rendition. Chief among these victories is the St. Patrick's Day triumph over Louisville in the NCAA Tournament, 62-61.
Faried currently ranks atop the leader board in NCAA modern-era (post-1973) rebounding, surpassing Tim Duncan's 1,570 pull-downs in a showdown at Indiana State on Feb. 19, 2011. He ranks tied for second all-time with Ralph Sampson in NCAA Division I history with 84 career double-doubles. His 2,009 career points ranks third on the all-time scoring list in Morehead State history, and his 1,673 rebounds ranks second on the all-time sheet, coming up two rebounds short of the all-time record holder, Steve Hamilton (1954-58).
Faried is one of only three OVC players in the history of the league to have more than 1,800 points and 1,500 rebounds. He ranks third in OVC history in career blocked shots (241) and seventh in OVC history in career steals (228). His number 35 jersey was retired by MSU on Feb. 12, 2011.
Faried is one of 21 former Eagles' men's basketball players to have played professionally since 2011: himself, Demonte Harper (Gran Canaria, Spain), Chad Posthumus (Saskatchewan Rattlers, Canada), Angelo Warner (Brescia, Italy), Corban Collins (Cantu, Italy), Anthony Elechi (La Roda, Spain), Lyonell Gaines (Obregon, Mexico), Brent Arrington (Halifax Hurricanes, Canada), Xavier Moon (Raptors 905, NBA G-League), Dejuan Marrero (Ponce, Puerto Rico), Lamontray Harris (Zaporizhye, Ukraine), Miguel Dicent (Metros STGO, Dominican Republic), Treshaad Williams (Villa San Martin, Argentina), Karam Mashour (Bnei Hertzeliya, Israel), Kareem Storey (Medias, Romania), Ty'Quan Bitting (Rahoveci, Kosovo), Billy Reader (Leicester Riders, England), Luka Pajkovic (Olimpic, Romania), Milton Chavis (Kordall Steelers, Luxembourg), Devon Atkinson (Lakeside Lightning, Australia), Sam Goodman (Atlanta Aliens).
