SI.com Picks Faried as part of 12 Man USA Roster
By Eric Meyer
Jul 30, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA forward Kenneth Faried (33) talks with guard DeMar DeRozan (45) during a practice session at Mendenhall Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
SI.com writer Ben Golliver posted an article today detailing the 12 players he thinks will be chosen as the ones that will represent the USA in the FIBA World Championship Tournament in Europe beginning on August 31st. He has the Denver Nuggets Kenneth Faried on the roster as one of the 12. Golliver states his reasons why in a breakdown of Faried thus far in USA Basketball training:
"11. Kenneth FariedColangelo has repeatedly mentioned the need for an “energy guy,” and he singled out Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried as a candidate for that role in an NBA TV interview this week. “We looked at tapes of yesterday’s scrimmage, and within a minute he was responsible for six points for his team,” Colangelo said of the high-flying Faried , who averaged 8.6 rebounds per game.Although the Morehead State product is lacking in the polish and range departments, compared to his USA Basketball teammates, he brings an electric presence that could help shake USA out of the inevitable slumbers that come with playing against weaker competition. An accomplished rebounder and lob finisher, Faried is comfortable running the lanes in transition and his 100 miles per hour style is infectious. This just seems like putting a square peg in a square hole."
It would be a great moment in Faried’s career to be selected to play on this team as it will give him a boost in exposure that an up and coming player like Kenneth needs to be considered one of the best in the NBA at his position. The Nuggets have not had a player on the USA Basketball roster since Carmelo Anthoney in 2010 so this would be good PR for the Nuggets as well. I think that Faried is on his way, with a lot of hard work, to becoming a star in the NBA and this may be the first step in that evolution!
Here is the complete roster that Golliver thinks will be chosen to represent the USA in the FIBA World Championship Tournament in late August:
Kevin Durant, Anthoney Davis, Stephan Curry, Paul George, James Harden, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kyle Korver, Derrick Rose, Kenneth Faried and Damion Lillard. That looks like a roster that can win the FIBA World Championship!