Al-Farouq Aminu facts for kids
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Aminu with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019
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| No. 3, 0, 8, 7, 2, 5 | ||||||||||||||
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| Small forward / power forward | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | September 21, 1990 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Nationality | American / Nigerian | |||||||||||||
| High school | Norcross (Norcross, Georgia) | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Wake Forest (2008–2010) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2010–2021 | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Los Angeles Clippers | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2014 | New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Dallas Mavericks | |||||||||||||
| 2015–2019 | Portland Trail Blazers | |||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Orlando Magic | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | Chicago Bulls | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Al-Farouq Ajadi Aminu (born September 21, 1990) is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. He played for teams like the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Al-Farouq also played for the Nigerian national team. He was picked by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2010 NBA draft. He also played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic.
Contents
Al-Farouq Aminu's Early Life and High School Basketball
Al-Farouq Aminu went to Norcross High School in Georgia. He was known as one of the best young basketball players in the country. Experts like Rivals.com and Scout.com ranked him very highly.
Aminu joined Norcross in his second year of high school. He helped Norcross win two Georgia 5A state championships in a row in 2007 and 2008. In his senior year, he averaged 23.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. He was also chosen for the 2008 McDonald's All-American Game. This game features the best high school players in the United States.
College Basketball Career at Wake Forest
Aminu decided to play college basketball at Wake Forest University. He signed his commitment in November 2007.
As a freshman in the 2008–09 season, he was a top player. He was chosen for the ACC All-Freshman Team. This means he was one of the best first-year players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He often scored double-doubles, which means he had double digits in two stats like points and rebounds. He led all freshmen in the ACC with 8.3 rebounds per game.
Al-Farouq Aminu's NBA Journey
Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers (2010–2011)
On April 1, 2010, Aminu decided to become a professional player. He was picked eighth overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2010 NBA draft. In one of his first games, he scored 20 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Time with the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2011–2014)
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In December 2011, Aminu was traded to the New Orleans Hornets. This trade involved several players, including Chris Paul.
In April 2013, Aminu had a great game against the Dallas Mavericks. He scored 16 points and grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds. The very next day, the New Orleans Hornets changed their name to the New Orleans Pelicans. In December 2013, he again had 16 points and 20 rebounds against the Mavericks.
Joining the Dallas Mavericks (2014–2015)
Aminu signed with the Dallas Mavericks in July 2014. In February 2015, he had a strong game with 17 points and 12 rebounds. This helped the Mavericks win against the Houston Rockets.
Years with the Portland Trail Blazers (2015–2019)
In July 2015, Aminu signed a four-year contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. He played in the 2015 NBA Africa exhibition game. In his first game for the Trail Blazers, he scored 9 points and had 8 rebounds.
In March 2016, Aminu scored 20 points in a win against the Philadelphia 76ers. A few days later, he set a new career high with 28 points. He also made six three-pointers in that game. He helped the Trail Blazers reach the playoffs that year. In the playoffs, he scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Aminu faced some injuries during the 2016–17 season, including a calf injury. He returned to play in December 2016. In February 2017, he scored a season-high 26 points. He also missed games in November 2017 due to an ankle injury. In January 2018, he scored 24 points in a win against the Chicago Bulls.
Playing for the Orlando Magic (2019–2021)
Aminu signed with the Orlando Magic in July 2019. In December 2019, he suffered a knee injury. This injury kept him out of games for a long time.
Short Time with the Chicago Bulls (2021)
In March 2021, Aminu was traded to the Chicago Bulls. This trade also involved Nikola Vučević. Later that year, in August 2021, Aminu was traded again to the San Antonio Spurs. He was then released by the Spurs in October. He briefly signed a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics in December 2021, but he did not play in any games for them.
Playing for Nigeria's National Team
Al-Farouq Aminu has proudly represented the Nigerian national basketball team. He played for Nigeria in the 2012 Summer Olympics. In August 2015, Aminu and his Nigerian team, known as the D'Tigers, won the 2015 FIBA Africa Championship. They beat Angola 74–65 in the final game. He was also named one of the top five players in that tournament.
Al-Farouq Aminu's Personal Life
Al-Farouq Aminu is married to Helina Tekeste Aminu, and they have a daughter. His father is from Nigeria, and his mother is African American from New York. Aminu comes from a family of Nigerian kings. He is a Muslim.
His name, Al-Farouq, means "the chief has arrived." This is why his nickname is "The Chief." His brother, Alade Aminu, is also a professional basketball player. Al-Farouq and his wife have a foundation called Aminu Good Works Foundation. Since 2016, they organize a yearly basketball camp in Ibadan, Nigeria, to help young players.
Awards and Honors
College Awards
- 2009 Sporting News All-Freshman Team
- 2009 ACC All-Freshman Team (chosen by everyone)
- 2009 Runner-up for ACC Freshman of the Year
- 2009 ACC Freshman of the Week (five times)
High School Awards
- 2008 Mr. Georgia Basketball (best player in Georgia)
- 2008 First-team all-state by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- 2008 McDonald's All American East Squad
- 2008 First-team Parade All-American
- 2008 Jordan Brand All-American Classic
See also
In Spanish: Al-Farouq Aminu para niños
