Morehead State junior Kenneth Faried announced Friday that he has removed his name from NBA draft consideration and will return for his senior year with Eagle men's basketball.
"After carefully looking at all my options and talking it over with my family - especially my mom, I have decided to return to Morehead State University for my senior season," Faried said. "This process has been a tremendous experience and a great learning experience for me. I want to thank coach [Donnie] Tyndall and all of my coaches as well as my teammates and all of the MSU fans for their support. However I want to thank my mom even more - She is my heart and soul and her support means the world to me."
The Newark, N.J. native, returns to help coach Tyndall, the coaching staff, and his teammates make another run at the Ohio Valley Conference Championship and NCAA berth. It will also give Faried a chance to further develop his skills and maturation as a basketball player.
"This was a very difficult decision for Kenneth, but after visiting with many NBA teams and listening to their opinions and evaluations he felt like it was in his best interest to return to school," Tyndall said. "As I have said all along this would be a decision Kenneth and his mom would make on their own and they did. Kenneth Faried is a fantastic basketball player, but is an even better person. His unselfish attitude and team first mentality have helped make him the most popular player in Morehead State University history. The good news for MSU fans is that they will get to see him in an Eagle uniform for his senior season!"
Faried's decision also means that he will fulfill a dream he and his mother share of seeing him graduate from college.
"I am very happy to be coming back to MSU - we have a lot of work to do to reach our goals," Faried said. "I will work as hard as I possibly can to achieve our team goals and my individual goals and most importantly to fulfill my promise to Mom to graduate so she can see me walk across that stage and receive my degree next May."
"I fully expect Kenneth to work harder this summer than he has ever worked in his life," Tyndall said. "Kenneth has set his goals for next season very high and at the top of his list is to graduate in May 2011 and have his mom watch him walk across the stage - he is on course to do that as well!"
An Associated Press All-American honorable mention, Faried also was named NABC All-District and he swept the Ohio Valley Conference top awards, earning Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference. He garnered attention from NBA scouts all season long while averaging 16.9 points a game and 13.0 boards per contest to lead the OVC and rank second in the nation. He also ranked second nationally in double-doubles, recording 25 in 35 total games.