The Manimal’s Brief Roar: Kenneth Faried and the Legacy of Brooklyn Nets Jersey No. 35

In the sprawling tapestry of the Brooklyn Nets franchise, certain jersey numbers echo with the footsteps of legends. Others whisper tales of fleeting moments, of players who arrived with a specific purpose, left an indelible, if brief, mark, and moved on. The story of jersey number 35 in Brooklyn is one of these transient yet powerful narratives, a number that has been worn by ten different individuals across the team’s ABA and NBA history. Its most recent occupant, Newark’s own Kenneth Faried, embodied this perfectly: a tempest of energy whose time in black and white was short, unforgettable, and perfectly encapsulated the “next man up” ethos of a team in transition.

A Number’s Journey: From ABA Roots to the Barclays Center

The history of the No. 35 for the franchise is a microcosm of the team’s own evolution. Since its founding in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans, the organization has seen over 600 players don its uniforms, sharing just 52 available jersey numbers. The No. 35 has been a constant through it all, worn by characters as varied as ABA scoring machine George Carter, the bruising Otis Birdsong, and the sharp-shooting Joe Harris in his very first stint with the team. It’s a number that has seen championships, rebuilding years, and everything in between. When Kenneth Faried pulled it over his shoulders in 2018, he wasn’t just putting on a jersey; he was adding a new, explosive chapter to a long-running story.

Faried’s arrival in Brooklyn was not the story of a franchise cornerstone being acquired. It was a savvy, necessary move born of necessity. After seven high-flying seasons with the Denver Nuggets that earned him the iconic nickname “The Manimal” for his ferocious rebounding and boundless energy, Faried found himself traded to the Nets in a cost-cutting move for Denver. For Brooklyn, reeling from injuries and in need of frontcourt depth, he was a potential spark plug. For Faried, it was a homecoming and a chance to prove he still had the fire that made him a fan favorite and a 2014 FIBA World Cup gold medalist with Team USA.

The Manimal Unleashed: Faried’s Impact in Brooklyn

Kenneth Faried’s tenure with the Brooklyn Nets lasted just 12 regular season games. To judge it by quantity alone would be to miss the point entirely. His impact was qualitative, a jolt of adrenaline to the team’s system. Thrust into significant minutes due to injuries, Faried did what he had always done: he played with unrelenting hustle.

• Instant Production: In his very first game for the Nets, Faried recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. He announced his presence not with a whisper, but with the familiar roar of activity around the rim.
• Bench Energy Catalyst: He provided a tangible identity for the second unit. His offensive rebounding created extra possessions, and his ability to run the floor in transition fit perfectly with the emerging pace-and-space style of the Sean Marks-Kenny Atkinson era.
• The Homecoming Narrative: For fans, seeing a Newark native playing with palpable pride for the local NBA team added an emotional layer to his performance. He wasn’t just a hired gun; he was one of their own, playing with a jersey-pulling, chest-thumping passion that resonated.

Statistically, his Brooklyn averages—5.9 points and 3.7 rebounds in just 9.8 minutes per game—were modest. But the per-36-minute projections told the true story of his relentless style: an astounding 21.7 points and 13.7 rebounds. He was, quite literally, a force of nature compressed into short, explosive bursts.

Why the Partnership Was Doomed from the Start

Despite the immediate fan connection and on-court production, the marriage between Faried and the Nets was built on a foundation of temporary needs. Several factors made his long-term stay in Brooklyn unlikely from the outset.

First, the NBA’s stylistic evolution was moving away from traditional, undersized power forwards who did not stretch the floor. While Faried was a phenomenal roller and offensive rebounder, his lack of a consistent outside shot made him a challenging fit in starting lineups designed for five-out spacing.

Second, and more specific to Brooklyn, was the team’s developing young core. The Nets were invested in the growth of Jarrett Allen at center and were cultivating a versatile frontcourt. Faried’s skill set, while valuable in a vacuum, overlapped in ways that limited future flexibility. His role was always that of a high-energy specialist, not a foundational piece.

Finally, the business of basketball intervened. To create a roster spot and maintain financial flexibility for the pivotal upcoming offseason—the summer that would eventually bring Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving—the Nets made the difficult but understandable decision to waive Faried in January 2019. His release was a testament not to a lack of ability, but to the cold, hard calculus of building a contender in the modern NBA.

Legacy and Predictions: The Lasting Imprint of a Brief Stay

So, what is the legacy of Kenneth Faried’s time wearing Nets jersey No. 35? It serves as a perfect case study in the value of professional excellence and specific role mastery. Faried did not come to Brooklyn to change his game; he came to amplify it for the team’s benefit, and he succeeded spectacularly in that narrow scope.

His chapter reminds us that franchise history isn’t written solely by superstars. It’s also written by the journeymen, the specialists, and the hometown heroes who, for a few weeks or months, capture the imagination of the fanbase by doing one or two things exceptionally well. Faried’s undeniable hustle and emotional connection to the area cemented his place as a cult hero in the Nets’ saga, a player whose short stint is remembered more fondly than many longer tenures.

Looking forward, the legacy of No. 35 will continue to evolve. The number is currently unclaimed, waiting for its next occupant. Given the Nets’ current trajectory, it may next be worn by another transitional piece, a veteran seeking redemption, or perhaps a young player trying to establish his own “Manimal”-like identity. The prediction here is that the bar for energy and per-minute production set by Faried will loom large. Future players who don the number will inherit a legacy of intensity, a standard of playing every second as if it were your last—because, as Faried’s time in Brooklyn proved, you never know when it might be.

In the grand archive of the Brooklyn Nets, Kenneth Faried’s page is short but vividly illustrated. He reminded a franchise and its fans that heart, hustle, and hometown pride have immense value, even in a results-driven league. Jersey No. 35, with its rich and varied past, found in Faried a wearer who embodied its spirit of resilience and relentless effort, proving that some of the loudest roars in a team’s history can come from the briefest of visits.

Source: Based on news from Yahoo Sports.