Al-Farouq Aminu

High school career

Aminu attended Norcross High School after transferring from Wesleyan School between his freshman and sophomore years, but was ruled ineligible and played on the junior varsity team as a sophomore. As a junior, he averaged 13.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, leading Norcross to a 30–3 record and a #12 national seed.

He helped the team win back-to-back Georgia 5A state titles in 2007 and 2008. As a senior, he averaged 23.1 points and 11.2 rebounds, and Norcross finished 29–2 and ranked #6 nationally. He was a McDonald's All-American and played in the Jordan Brand Classic, recording 12 points and 13 rebounds.

College career

Aminu committed to Wake Forest in July 2007 and signed a Letter of Intent that November, choosing the school over Georgia Tech. As a freshman in the 2008–09 season, he was a unanimous selection for the ACC All-Freshman Team. He posted ten double-doubles, led all freshmen and ranked sixth in the ACC with 8.3 rebounds per game, and was second among league rookies with 13.0 points per contest.

Professional career

Aminu declared for the 2010 NBA draft after hiring an agent on April 1, 2010, and was selected eighth overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. In his eighth game, on November 9, 2010, he recorded a season-best 20 points and 8 rebounds against the New Orleans Hornets. On December 14, 2011, the Clippers traded Aminu, Chris Kaman, Eric Gordon, and a 2012 first-round pick to the New Orleans Hornets for Chris Paul and two future second-round picks. In the final game of the 2012–13 regular season, he had 16 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

On December 4, 2013, he tied that career best with 16 points and 20 rebounds against the same team. He signed with the Dallas Mavericks on July 29, 2014, and on February 20, 2015, had a season-best 17 points and 12 rebounds against the Houston Rockets. On July 9, 2015, he signed a four-year, $30 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. On March 26, 2016, he matched his career high with 20 points, then set a new career high of 28 points on March 31 while hitting six three-pointers.

In the 2016 playoffs, he recorded a career-high 30 points and 10 rebounds in a Game 4 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, and later had 23 points and 10 rebounds in a Game 3 win against the Golden State Warriors. After stints with the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in August 2021 and waived in October, then signed a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics in December but never played a game for them.

Personal life

Al-Farouq Aminu, whose name translates to 'the chief has arrived,' is known as 'The Chief.' He is a Muslim with a Yoruba father from Nigeria and an African American mother from New York, and he is descended from a line of Nigerian kings. He has one daughter with his ex-wife. His brother, Alade Aminu, is also a professional basketball forward. Since 2016, Aminu and his ex-wife have run the Aminu Good Works Foundation, which organizes a yearly basketball camp in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Did You Know?

• Aminu was a McDonald's All-American in 2008 and recorded 12 points and 13 rebounds in the Jordan Brand Classic.
• Aminu won the 2015 FIBA Africa Championship with Nigeria and was named to the All-Star Five of the tournament.