Biram Faye

Biram Faye, 6-10, Center, Gran Canaria, 2000

Strengths
-Physical specimen with a mature, shredded frame and long arms.
-Fluid athlete who can get up and down in transition. Impressive runner. Can finish above the rim in space.
-High motor rebounder who impacts the game on the backboards – 16.9 per 40, the most among any player in L'Hospitalet and Kaunas. Can carve out space on the interior. Quick off the floor. Not afraid to mix it up. Length helps him in traffic.
-Has potential on the defensive end. Light on his feet, should be able to switch with improved fundamentals and discipline. Also has some potential as a rim protector, although it's far from realized.
-Decent touch from the line. Pause at the top but can make a short turnaround.
-Not afraid of contact around the rim – 9.6 free throw attempts per 40 minutes.

Weaknesses
-More agile than freaky explosive
-Very limited feel for the game. Fired a half court shot with 40 seconds to go in the half. Doesn't think the game at a high level. Sped up offensively. Doesn't have a great feel for his strengths and weaknesses as a player. Wants turnaround jumpers. Plays with his head down – 2 assists and 15 turnovers in 110 minutes.
-Skill level leaves much to be desired. Misses a lot of easy looks around the rim. Hands are just OK. 43.6% from two. Not overly advanced on the block, especially versus like-sized bigs.
-Motor on the defensive end comes and goes. Poor awareness. Doesn't want to rotate. One block and five steals in 110 minutes with his tools. Very underwhelming.
-Doesn't sit down in a stance guarding the perimeter. Bites on basic shot fakes versus non-shooters.
-Not as physical as he could be defending the post.
-Doesn't have the most serious-minded approach.

Outlook
Faye, a native of Senegal, was quite underwhelming relative to expectations. Although he can rebound at a high level and has some tools, he's not the freak athlete he'd need to be to make up for his shortcomings in terms of his skill and basketball IQ. Considering the questions about his age, there may not be all that much room for Faye to develop further. If he can really buy in to being a rim runner, shot blocker, pick and roll defender then he'll certainly have a better chance of making it, but at this stage he looks like a much more impactful player and enticing prospect than his production and game play would suggest.