Kelly Faris

Kelly Elizabeth Faris (born January 16, 1991) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Breiðablik of the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild kvenna. She was drafted 11th overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2013 WNBA Draft. Faris played shooting guard for the Connecticut women's basketball team, and won two national championships in 2010 and 2013. She was on a post-season championship team for five consecutive seasons, including four consecutive high school state championships and two NCAA championship.[1]

Kelly Faris
Faris in 2009
Personal information
Born (1991-01-16) January 16, 1991
Plainfield, Indiana
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Listed weight155 lb (70 kg)
Career information
High schoolHeritage Christian
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
CollegeUConn (2009–2013)
WNBA draft2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11th overall
Selected by the Connecticut Sun
Playing career2013–present
PositionGuard
Career history
2013–2016Connecticut Sun
2013–2014UNIQA Euroleasing Sopron
2014Adelaide Lightning
2016Flying Foxes Post SV Wien
2017Bnot Hertzeliya
2018–2019Breiðablik
Career highlights and awards
  • Austrian Basketball League champion (2016)
  • Austrian-Slovak Basketball League champion (2016)
  • Austrian Cup (2016)
  • Austrian Cup Final Four MVP (2016)
  • 2× NCAA champion (2010, 2013)
Stats at WNBA.com
Medals
Women’s Basketball
Representing  United States
U18 and U19
2008 U18 Buenos Aires Team Competition
2009 U19 Bangkok Team Competition

Early life

Faris is daughter of Bob and Connie Faris. Faris has two older sisters Kristi and Kimmi and one older brother Patrick.[2] She played on the Indiana's Finest AAU team which won the National Championship in 2003 for the 11U division (players age 11 and under).[3]

High school career

Faris played basketball at Heritage Christian high school in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the Eagles had an amazing combined record of 108-8.[4] The team was 12–12 in the season before Faris arrived at Heritage Christian.[5] In her freshman year, she averaged 11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 4.0 steals. As a sophomore, she averaged 13.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 4.7 steals. During her junior year, she averaged 12.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.5 steals, while Faris achieved a quadruple-double vs Harding High School Hawks on November 24, 2007, Faris scored 14 points, had 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals and was named MVP of the 2008 state tournament.[6] As a senior Faris averaged roughly 14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and 2 blocks. She was named the 2009 Indianapolis Star Super Team Player of the Year and finished her career as Heritage's High School's all-time leader in rebounds (1,015), assists (526), blocks (108) and steals (493) ranks second among the school's all-time scoring leaders (1,426 points).

Faris helped lead the high school to four consecutive IHSAA Class 2A state championships.[7] This accomplishment earned the team a congratulatory resolution from the General Assembly of the State of Indiana.[8] Faris was named to the all-state first team in 2007, 2008, and 2009.[9] In addition to basketball, she also participated in volleyball and track, lettering in both sports,[2] and earning all-state honors in volleyball for both 2007 and 2008.[9] She also won national honors in 2007, being named to the 2007 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships All-American team.[10] She was also an excellent student, earning High Academic Honors as a senior, and being a member of National Honors Society.[11] Faris was selected as a McDonald's All-American.[12] She participated in the McDonald's All-Star game with four points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots while playing for the East Team in the 2009 game.[9]

College career
Kelly Faris with National Championship trophy, returning to the team hotel after winning the 2013 NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship

Freshman year

Faris wore number 34, a number worn by her siblings.[9] She joined the team for the 2009-10 season, the only true freshman on a squad that had won the 2009 National Championship without losing a single game. She averaged almost 19 minutes per game and played in every game, despite suffering a broken nose in a December practice.[13] She wore a protective mask and continued to play. Although she didn't start, she played key reserve minutes, including 25 minutes in the National Championship game.[14]

Sophomore year

Scored 15 points, pulled down nine rebounds and dished-out a career-high seven assists in a well-rounded effort against Holy Cross on November 14. Pulled down eight rebounds and registered five points and five assists in 30 minutes at Georgia Tech on 11/21. Scored seven points, while posting six rebounds and six assists against Howard on 11/26. Scored 13 points and grabbed six boards at USF on 12/2. Pulled down 10 rebounds to go along with five points and five assists vs. Sacred Heart on 12/5. Pulled down 10 rebounds vs. Ohio State on 12/19. Scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while adding seven assists at Pacific on 12/28. Netted 19 points in 34 minutes played in the Huskies' first loss in 91 games at Stanford on 12/30.

Junior year

Kelly Faris started every game for the Huskies in the 2011-12 season averaging 28.9 minutes per game. She visited the foul line in 28 of UConn's 38 contests and was one of the leading foul shooters with a 78.8 percentage. Faris recorded double-figures in 10 games, including the final three games of the Huskies run through the Final Four. She was perfect from the charity strip in six games, including going 6-for-6 against Dayton (11/27) en route to 10 points, five steals and four assists. Faris led the Huskies in assists (4.3 apg) and was second in steals (2.1 spg).

Senior year

On March 2, 2013, Faris became only the second player in Connecticut basketball history to record more than 1,000 points, 750 rebounds, 500 assists and 250 steals; the other player to reach this milestone was Maya Moore.[15] Faris's Huskies won her second national championship at the end of that season. Faris was named to the 2013 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team.[16] Faris was named the Big East Defensive player of the year, and shared honors for the Big East most improved player of the year.[17] Faris led UConn to a 143-11 record over her four-year career, which included four Final Four appearances and two National Championships.

College statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
Year Team GP Points FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2009-10 Connecticut 39 158 38.2 27.0 77.5 3.7 2.1 1.2 0.3 4.1
2010-11 Connecticut 38 296 42.5 30.9 75.6 6.7 3.7 1.8 0.6 7.8
2011-12 Connecticut 38 256 43.7 31.5 78.8 5.2 4.3 2.1 0.6 6.7
2012-13 Connecticut 39 399 53.0 41.5 75.0 7.1 3.0 2.5 0.5 10.2
Career Connecticut 154 1109 44.4 32.7 76.7 5.7 3.3 1.9 0.5 7.2
Sources:[18][2][19]

Professional career

Faris was selected 11th overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun.[20] She played for the Sun from 2013 to 2016, averaging 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 112 games.[21]

In September 2013, she signed with EuroLeague Women team UNIQA Euroleasing Sopron in Hungary.[22]

Faris signed with Adelaide Lightning of the Women's National Basketball League for the 2014-15 season.[23][24] She was released by the club in December that same year with the team in last place. For the season she averaged 3.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists.[25]

In January 2016, Faris signed with the Flying Foxes Post SV Wien of the Austrian Women's Basketball Bundesliga. She helped the Flying Foxes to both the national championship, the Austrian Cup, where she was named the Cup's Final Four MVP,[26] and to the Austrian-Slovak Women Basketball League championship.[27][28]

In February 2017, she signed with Bnot Hertzeliya of the Israeli Female Basketball Premier League where she averaged 13.9 points in five games.[28]

In February 2018, Faris signed a training camp contract with the New York Liberty.[29] In August 2018, Faris signed with Breiðablik of the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild kvenna.[30] She left the team in January 2019. In 14 games in the Úrvalsdeild, Faris averaged 20.9 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.[31]

On February 11, 2019, Faris signed a training camp contract with the New York Liberty for the second straight year. She was released by the Liberty on May 20, prior to the start of the season.[32]

USA Basketball

Faris was selected to play in the USA Women's Youth Development Festival. Eligible players are female basketball players who are in their sophomore or junior in high school. The 2007 event took place at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.[33]

Faris was a member of the USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The event was held in July 2008, when the USA team defeated host Argentina to win the championship.[34] Faris helped the team win all five games, assisting on 17 baskets, only one fewer than the team high 18.[35]

Faris continued on to the USA Women's U19 team which represented the USA in the 2009 U19 World's Championship, held in Bangkok, Thailand in July and August 2009.[36] Although the USA team lost the opening game to Spain, they went on to win their next seven games to earn a rematch against Spain in the finals, and won the game 81–71 to earn the gold medal.[37] Faris was the high scorer with 13 points in the game against Mali.[38]

Awards and honors
  • 2003—AAU Basketball National Championship 11U[3]
  • 2007—AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships All-American team.[10]
  • 2007—First Team, All-State (Indiana 2A)[9]
  • 2008—First Team, All-State (Indiana 2A)[9]
  • 2008—MVP State Tournament (Indiana 2A)[9]
  • 2009—First Team, All-State (Indiana 2A)[9]
  • 2009—McDonald's All-America[9]
  • 2009—Parade Magazine All-America first team[9]
  • 2009—USA Today All-USA second team honors[9]
  • 2013—Big East Defensive Player of the Year.[17]
  • 2013—Big East Most Improved Player of the Year.[17]
  • 2013—NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team.[16]

See also

References
  1. Newell, Nat (April 9, 2010). "UConn super sub keeps on winning". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  2. "Kelly Faris". University of Connecticut. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  3. "2003 Summer Basketball". NSR Web Publishing. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  4. "Kelly Faris, HCS '09, Loves to Collect Rings". Heritage Christian School. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  5. "Going for Championship No. 5". Region Roundball Review. April 5, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  6. "Boxscore". CBS MaxPreps, Inc. November 24, 2007. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  7. Leigh, Kristen (March 19, 2009). "Area players lead champions". Indy.com. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  8. "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION". State of Indiana. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  9. "Kelly Faris". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  10. Richards, Bob (July 31, 2007). "Women's Recruiting Update: Faris and Moses honored". OldGoldFreePress.com. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  11. "HS_Q1_HighAcademicHonors" (PDF). Heritage Christian School. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  12. Elliot, Rich (February 19, 2009). "Big-Time Kelly Faris". Connecticut Post. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  13. Hays, Graham (March 4, 2010). "Don't be fooled by Faris' poker face". ESPN. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  14. "Boxscore". ESPN. April 6, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  15. Altavilla, John (2013-03-02). "Kelly Faris, This Is Your Milestone". Hartford Courant. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on 2013-03-07. Retrieved 3 Mar 2013.
  16. Elliott, Rich (April 10, 2013). "2013 Final Four All-Tournament Team". CTPost. Hearst Communications Inc. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 17 Apr 2013.
  17. "BIG EAST Women's Basketball Regular Season Awards Announced". BIG EAST Athletics. 7 Mar 2013. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 17 Apr 2013.
  18. "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  19. "UCONN Season Statistics". University of Connecticut. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
  20. "Griner, Delle Donne, Diggins go 1-2-3". espn.go.com. April 16, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  21. "Kelly Faris player stats". WNBA.com. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  22. All Change In Sopron. fibaeurope.com. May 10, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  23. "Lightning sign WNBA guard Kelly Faris to replace injured Natalie Novosel for 2014-15 WNBL campaign". couriermail.com.au. September 2, 2014. Retrieved 2 Sep 2014.
  24. NAGY, BOTI (October 23, 2014). "Alex Bunton for fitness test as Lightning ready for a Cappie Pondexter-led Dandenong assault". Herald Sun. Retrieved 24 Oct 2014.
  25. Boty Nagy (22 December 2014). "Adelaide sacks WNBL import Kelly Faris as Lightning slumps to all-time ladder low". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  26. "Die Foxes holten alle vergebenen MVP Auszeichnungen". flyingfoxes.at (in German). 19 April 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  27. "Rekord Titel gesichert – ohne Niederlage zum 10. x in Serie Meister". flyingfoxes.at (in German). 18 April 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  28. "Kelly Faris Basketball Career". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  29. Ben Dull (22 February 2018). "New York Liberty sign Ibekwe, Faris, Alleyne for training camp". FanSided. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  30. Ástrós Ýr Eggertsdóttir (15 August 2018). "Fyrrum WNBA leikmaður í Breiðablik". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  31. "Úrvalsdeild kvenna Domino's deild kvenna (2018-2019 Tímabil)". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  32. "New York Liberty Waive Cuevas-Moore, Faris, Huff". New York Liberty. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  33. "SA WOMEN'S YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FESTIVAL -- 2007". USA Basketball. Retrieved 10 Oct 2013.
  34. "USA Women's U18 National Team Rolls Through FIBA Americas Championship Undefeated With 81-37 Victory Over Host Argentina". USA Basketball. July 27, 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  35. "United States". USA Basketball. July 27, 2008. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  36. "U19 World's Championship for women Thailand". FIBA. Archived from the original on 2013-10-13. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  37. "USA U19 Women Golden With 87-71 Victory Over Spain". USA Basketball. August 2, 2009. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  38. "Official Basketball Box Score" (PDF). USA Basketball. July 25, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 8, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
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