DENVER, Dec. 9, 2011 – The Denver Nuggets have signed rookie F Kenneth Faried to a contract, team Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
Faried, the 22nd overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft out of Morehead State, was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year as both a junior and senior and OVC Defensive Player of the Year in each of his last three seasons. He also stands as the NCAA modern-era (post-1973) career rebounding leader with a total of 1,673.
Faried, 6-8, 228, led the Eagles to the 2011 NCAA Tournament, where he posted 12 points and 17 rebounds in a first-round upset over the fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals at Pepsi Center.
As a senior, he averaged 17.3 ppg on .623 field-goal shooting and led all NCAA Division I players with 14.5 rpg. He scored at least 20 points 16 times during the 2010-11 season, recorded at least 10 rebounds in 31 games (20-plus rebounds six times) and posted a nation-best 29 double-doubles (three 20-point/20-rebound games).