St. Thomas Academy hires Khalid El-Amin as boys basketball coach
St. Thomas Academy has hired former Minneapolis North star Khalid El-Amin to be its next boys basketball coach. ((credit: St. Thomas Academy))
MINNEAPOLIS - St. Thomas Academy announced on Thursday that it has a new boys basketball coach, and it’s a name widely known and respected in Minnesota basketball circles.
The Cadets have chosen former Minneapolis North and UConn star Khalid El-Amin to take over the program. El-Amin has several years of experience as a director of El-Amin Training basketball camps, and has also been a high school assistant coach.
"Khalid is a basketball legend in the state of Minnesota. He is a three-time state champion, was a three-time Minnesota High School Player of the Year, was a Minnesota Mr. Basketball winner and was a McDonald's All-American," said Greg May, athletic and activities director at Saint Thomas Academy, in a statement. "He went on to UConn to win an NCAA National Championship before having a long professional basketball career. Khalid is an energetic guy who understands the importance of relationships and development when it comes to student-athletes. His vast experience, basketball IQ and winning background is exactly what we were looking for in our next head coach. Khalid is going to do great things at the Academy!"
El-Amin is probably best known for hitting a buzzer-beater to win a state tournament game in 1996, ironically against St. Thomas Academy. He won three straight state championships, was named Mr. Basketball in 1997 and inducted into the Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.
El-Amin led UConn to a national title in 1999 and was drafted No. 34 overall by the Chicago Bulls in 2000. He played 15 seasons professionally in Europe before retiring, and has since been an assistant coach for two seasons at Burnsville and one at Minneapolis North.