Kenneth Faried earned the EuroLeague Basketball MVP of the Month for November after leading Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens to a 4-0 record during the month. The former NBA forward averaged 13.5 points on 64.5% shooting, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game following his November 9 signing with the Greek club.
Faried joined Panathinaikos after center Omer Yurtseven suffered an injury, leaving the team without proven big men alongside Richaun Holmes and Mathias Lessort. The Greens had lost three of their previous four games before Faried’s arrival.
The athletic forward made his debut against Paris Basketball in Round 10 after just one practice with his new team. Faried posted 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in a 95-101 road victory.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but the next thing I know I’m playing – I’m not just playing, I’m starting – and I’m contributing in a big way for the team,” Faried told Olivia Harlan Dekker on the EuroLeague & Friends: MVP Talk podcast. “The chemistry just seemed like it was there from day one. It felt like I’ve been here for years.”
Faried followed his debut with 16 points and 8 rebounds in a statement win at Real Madrid in Round 11. He ranked second in blocks and sixth in rebounds across the league during November.
Faried becomes the eighth Panathinaikos player to win the award, joining past recipients including Dimitris Diamantidis and Kendrick Nunn.
Since Faried’s signing, Panathinaikos has surged to a 9-4 record, tied for first place in the EuroLeague standings at the end of November. His ability to dominate the paint and ignite fast breaks has transformed the team’s fortunes after their early-season struggles.
