Former NBA forward Kenneth Faried had a successful debut in the Italian Serie A on Sunday afternoon, as Unahotels Reggio Emilia secured an 84-76 victory over hosts Napoli Basket. This win marked their third consecutive triumph in the league. Faried, a seasoned NBA veteran with nearly 500 games played for the Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets, and Houston Rockets, contributed to the outcome by recording 4 points (1/4 2PT, 2/3 FT), 9 rebounds (4 offensive), and 2 blocks in 18 minutes of play, before fouling out.
Kenneth Faried entered the game with 4.5 minutes left in the first quarter, where he faced a quick setback after being blocked by Napoli’s Leonardo Tote. However, Faried quickly responded, returning the favor to Tote with a block of his own. His first points came just before halftime when he sank two free throws to extend Reggio Emilia’s lead to 12 points.
Known for his athleticism and high-flying dunks during his NBA career, Faried averaged 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds over his career. A slight injury to his eyebrow had prevented him from debuting earlier in the week in a Basketball Champions League (BCL) game against Rytas Vilnius.
Faried’s first European stint was with CSKA Moscow in the 2021-22 season, where he averaged 2.3 points and 2.4 rebounds across 7 EuroLeague appearances. Now, back on the court in Italy, the 35-year-old aims to continue his successful basketball journey in Europe following his NBA career.
