Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Al-Farouq Aminu was a versatile NBA forward whose defensive versatility, rebounding, and transition play made him a valuable starter for the Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, and several playoff teams throughout the 2010s. A long, athletic 3-and-D archetype, Aminu impacted games through switchable defense, relentless energy, and complementary offensive contributions rather than high-volume scoring.

Here’s the detailed profile of Al-Farouq Aminu:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Al-Farouq Ajiede Aminu
  • Nationality: Nigerian-American
  • Age: Born September 21, 1990
  • Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
  • Height: 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
  • Weight: 220 lbs (100 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Shoe Size: Size 16 (US)
  • Number: #2, #8
  • Position: Small Forward / Power Forward
  • High School: Norcross High School, Norcross, Georgia
  • College: Wake Forest University (2008–2010)
  • NBA Draft: Selected 8th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers
  • Teams Played For:
    • Los Angeles Clippers (2010–2011)
    • New Orleans Hornets / Pelicans (2011–2014)
    • Dallas Mavericks (2014–2015)
    • Portland Trail Blazers (2015–2019)
    • Orlando Magic (2019–2021)
    • Chicago Bulls (2021)
    • San Antonio Spurs (2021, preseason)
    • Has also played internationally in Puerto Rico
  • Championship Rings: No NBA Championships
  • Kids: Al-Farouq Aminu has at least one child, a daughter named Maya.
  • Siblings: Al-Farouq has a brother named Alade Aminu, who is also a professional basketball player.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Al-Farouq Aminu’s player archetype was that of a rangy 3-and-D combo forward: a defense-first wing-forward who brought switchable coverage, energetic rebounding, and low-maintenance offense built more on cuts, straight-line drives, transition play, and spot-up threes than on self-creation. At roughly 6-foot-8 with a reported 7-foot-3 wingspan, he had the length, quickness, and leaping ability to check multiple positions, disrupt actions as a help defender, and bother bigger perimeter scorers, which made his defensive role the clearest driver of his value. Offensively, Aminu was typically a complementary piece rather than a primary initiator, working as a floor-spacer from the corners, an opportunistic slasher, and a hustle scorer who stayed within the flow of the offense. His play style was functional, physical, and mobile rather than flashy, with his best stretches coming when his jumper was respected enough to open the rest of his game. (nba.com)

Scouting Report

Al-Farouq Aminu always looked most comfortable affecting the game in motion rather than standing still waiting for touches. He thrived when possessions became unpredictable. One minute he’d be sprinting the wing in transition, the next he’d be crashing in from the weak side for a put-back, and then he’d rotate across the lane to erase what looked like an easy layup. That’s where his value separated itself from the box score. Defensively, he covered an enormous amount of ground because his first instinct was almost always to see the entire action instead of locking onto just his own assignment. He tagged rollers, recovered back to shooters with long strides and could switch onto wings or bigger forwards without looking physically overwhelmed. Even in zone responsibilities, he had a knack for arriving a fraction early, forcing an extra pass that disrupted the offence’s rhythm. Offensively, his game was more dependent on the flow around him. He could attack a scrambling closeout in one or two dribbles, finish through length and keep possessions alive with offensive rebounds, but asking him to initiate half-court offence or consistently create against a set defender took him away from what he naturally did best. The trade-off was evident with his perimeter shooting as well. Defences were often willing to test him from outside, and when that jumper wasn’t falling, they shrank the floor and challenged him to beat them as a decision-maker. To me, his ideal role was next to a high-usage creator who bent the defence first, allowing Aminu to operate as the connective piece who punished rotations, covered mistakes on the other end and filled the gaps that every good team inevitably creates. There are shades of Tayshaun Prince in the way he influenced games through length and defensive anticipation rather than constant scoring, while parts of his off-ball offensive approach resemble Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, particularly the cutting, offensive rebounding and willingness to let the game come to him instead of chasing possessions. He wasn’t the player dictating every possession, but he had a habit of quietly dictating where those possessions ended.

Notes:

  • Similar players to Al-Farouq Aminu include Draymond Green.

Sources:

NBA.com — Mavs fill multiple voids with addition of Al-Farouq Aminu
Bleacher Report — Al-Farouq Aminu Is Suddenly a Key Player in Dallas Mavericks’ Offseason
Bleacher Report — B/R’s Top 100 NBA Players Entering the 2018-19 Season
NBADraft.net — Al-Farouq Aminu
NBA.com — Game Day Hub: Portland vs. Golden State