is proof that a world stage can be a powerful thing. Average 18 points and 10 rebounds after the all-star break last NBA season, against the best players in the world? The skeptics’ voices still rang loudest.
Do exactly the same thing against overmatched competition in group play of the FIBA World Cup? Now he’s a keeper. Strange and backwards, but true.
It can be argued Faried has done more to open up the eyes of his own fan base and NBA eyes nationwide in one week in Spain than he had in the balance of his already upwardly mobile career. That’s been the real value of this tournament so far him. He’s playing as he always has. But his name and his nickname, the “Manimal,” are becoming household, and for a player looking to earn his first all-star berth this upcoming season, this is big-time stuff.
Former Nuggets coach George Karl used to say players looking for their first all-star nod many times don’t get it until the year after they played well enough to deserve it. So, have a great season this year, and then you’re on the map for the following season. Stephen Curry made everyone sit up and take notice with a spectacular playoffs in 2013 in Golden State’s upset win over the Nuggets in the first round before losing to San Antonio in the second.
The next season, he was not only voted in, he also was voted a starter.
The more the ESPN broadcasters gush over Faried — and they have a ton — the better for him. He’s held up his end of the bargain by being the most consistently effective player on the team, but all of this exposure is fast-tracking Faried onto the radar screens of fans and NBA insiders everywhere.
The truth of the matter is he is the same no matter where he plays. With the Nuggets, in summer league two years ago, with the star-studded USA Basketball team now. Faried is kinetic energy personified, an ode to what simply playing hard can do.
But now there’s more to that with Faried. Much more.
His burgeoning offensive game has garnered praise, and rightfully so. , he dribble-drove down the lane and finished with a layup soft against the glass. In an exhibition, Faried drove the lane, drew the defense, and dropped off a soft pass to a wide-open teammate for a lay-in. He was lauded for his ability to get a rebound and provide a “bust-out” couple of dribbles to quickly get the fast break started — something Nuggets coach Brian Shaw started with him last season.
And he’s intent on getting better.
It’s probably the most impressive about Faried of late, the ferocity at which he’s chasing NBA stardom. He quizzes his peers around the league. He puts in extra work. He picks up things here and there to add to his game. He’s ready to accept the challenge of being a vocal leader, and being a calming voice in the media whether he’s flying high or whether times are tough for him or his team. Professionalism on and off the court. He isn’t just talking about it, he’s being about it.
All of these, combined with his box-office appeal, are why the Nuggets remain high on him. It’s why they did not trade him when other teams burned the phone lines last season inquiring about him. It’s why the Nuggets are intent on locking him up with a contract extension.
The biggest tests in this tournament are yet to come, because let’s just be honest, group stage play was a glorified extension of the exhibition games. But no matter what, Faried has already left an indelible footprint that, as long as he makes it stand up during the NBA season, will pay dividends for him well after the tournament ends.
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or twitter.com/dempseypost
