NBA

Faried grabbing Knicks’ attention

Kenneth Faried doesn’t have center-size, but he exhibits the exact ballplayer traits Knicks president Donnie Walsh feels the team desperately needs. Better yet, Walsh would be stealing him right out of the Nets’ back yard.

Faried, a rugged 6-foot-8 power-forward rebounding machine from Newark, has fascinated Knicks scouts, according to people in the know.

The Morehead State bruiser, who ignited the small-school’s first-round upset of Louisville, has seen his stock soar since the NCAA tournament, when the Eagles got to the Round of 32. Likened to Dennis Rodman, Faried set an NCAA modern-day record of 1,673 career rebounds and averaged 13.4 this season.

One scout said he is “probably the best rebounder in the draft.”

Some NBA scouts even wonder if he’ll be available when the Knicks select at No. 17 next month.

Walsh, who’s working on a new contract, wants size for the roster, preferably at center, but none of quality will likely be there at pick 17. Amar’e Stoudemire is not a great boardman and the undersized Knicks became a poor rebounding team. Faried is slightly undersized even for a power forward, but scouts rave about his motor, hustle and tenacity for loose balls.

Today, the Knicks begin pre-draft workouts by bringing in four players: guard Cory Joseph (Texas), forward Willie Reed (St. Louis), guard Xavier Silas (Northern Illinois) and forward Greg Smith (Fresno State). This weekend they will attend the Nets’ combine, where Boston College point guard Reggie Williams will hold their attention.

marc.berman@nypost.com