Al-Farouq Aminu
Position: Small Forward/Power Forward
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 230 pounds
Country: United States
Team: Toronto Raptors
Unlike the other players on this list, Aminu was born in the U.S. and heralded as a top basketball prospect early in his career. But his background is still unique compared to the typical NBA player. The son of Nigerian immigrants, Aminu is a descendant from a line of Nigerian Kings—meaning the Blazers swingman is technically a prince.
Aminu would quickly rise to basketball royalty in the Atlanta-area where he grew up. He helped Norcross High School when back-to-back state championships in Georgia. Aminu was named a McDonald’s All-American and did two years at Wake Forest before turning pro.
The lanky forward has bounced around several teams over the course of his nine NBA seasons but seems to have found a home in Portland. He’s spent the last four years with the Blazers and his defense on all-star Paul George was instrumental in the team’s monumental first-round series win over the Thunder. Should the Blazers decide not to re-up Aminu once his contract expires this summer, he’s sure to garner interest from plenty of other organizations.
