DENVER—Morehead State big man Kenneth Faried was more focused on rebounding than reminiscing as he made his return to the Mile High City.
It was here, nearly three months ago, that Faried and the 13th-seeded Eagles stunned No. 4 Louisville in the first big upset of this year’s NCAA tournament.
Back in the building on Wednesday, only this time a floor up on the practice court, Faried flashed his ferocity on the boards for the Nuggets in a pre-draft workout. He was one of six players brought in for a fast-paced session as the Nuggets weigh their options with the 22nd pick in the June 23 draft.
The 6-foot-8, 225-pound Faried didn’t take long to dominate, ripping down one rebound after another in the spirited practice, even letting out an occasional shout as his dreadlocks, despite being pulled back, flew in every direction.
Faried may not be the most polished scorer in the draft, but his athleticism and acumen have carried him a long way. He broke Tim Duncan’s modern-era Division I rebounding record in 2010-11, finishing his career with 1,673 boards.
But grabbing Faried in the draft may prove difficult for the Nuggets, unless the team moves up. In some mock drafts, Faried’s listed as a top-10 selection. In others, he’s gone by the time the Nuggets go on the clock.
And Denver may just be in the market for a player such as Faried, too, especially with Kenyon Martin set to become a free agent and Nene able to opt out of his contract. The Nuggets also must make a tough decision on what to do with streaky 3-point shooter J.R. Smith.
Even with all those looming decisions, the Nuggets remain in far better shape than they would have been had they held onto Carmelo Anthony and then lost him in free agency without compensation.
The blockbuster deal with the New York Knicks provided a solid foundation for the future, with the Nuggets acquiring forwards Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari, guard Raymond Felton and centers Timofey Mozgov and Kosta Koufos (via Minnesota).
The Nuggets are doing their homework to uncover a player at No. 22 who could possibly provide a boost to a squad that finished strong down the stretch after the ‘Melo trade, only to lose in the first round of the playoffs to Oklahoma City.
In addition to Faried, the Nuggets also worked out Tennessee’s Tobias Harris, UCLA’s Tyler Honeycutt, Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson, Washington State’s Klay Thompson and Chu Chu Maduabum, a 20-year-old forward from Nigeria.
“We had some good ones in today. We’re pleased with that workout, very competitive, a lot of talent in here,” said Mike Bratz, the team’s director of scouting. “We’re looking at a lot of different scenarios. We want to get a good player, a guy who can contribute now hopefully. But, if not, down the road can be a good player, a substantial player, for us.”
Faried was a little winded after the workout, taking his time to cool down.
“High altitude,” he said, grinning.
Funny, it didn’t seem to bother him all that much the last time he was in town. Faried didn’t shoot particularly well in a 62-61 win over Louisville, but pulled down 17 rebounds. He also blocked a shot at the buzzer to preserve the win and propel Morehead State into the next round, where the Eagles lost to Richmond.
“My biggest college memory,” said Faried, who had his jersey retired even before his playing days were finished. “It was an exciting time for us as a program and Morehead as a whole.
“It felt good to come back here (to Denver).”
Tempting as it was, Faried didn’t set foot on the Pepsi Center floor before the practice.
Instead, he slipped on the Nuggets’ blue jersey and headed upstairs for the practice court.
“I’m focused on the workout,” Faried explained. “Trying to focus on the here and now.”
With his style of play, Faried has drawn comparisons to Dennis Rodman, a notion Faried finds quite flattering.
“If I could be like that, I’d be a pretty happy man,” said Faried, who may resemble Rodman on the court, but not in body art as Faried has no tattoos and just two ear piercings. “He’s a Hall of Famer, why would I (mind)?
“I do have this drive in me. I won’t back down from anyone. Just because it’s the next level doesn’t mean you take any time off. I’m going to put in more time in the weight room, spend more time in the gym, just so I can stay on the floor more.”
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Pat Graham can be can be reached at
