Khalid El-Amin returns to Minneapolis North basketball

Khalid El-Amin, who led Minneapolis North to consecutive boys' basketball titles from 1995-1997, has joined head coach Larry McKenzie as an assistant. Minneapolis North, which won Class 1A titles the past two seasons, will try for a third this winter while competing in Class 2A.

The school competed with the state's largest schools when El-Amin, who starred for the Polars as early as eighth grade, played with a cast of talented teammates. The school later fell on hard times, with enrollment dropping below 100 students. There were calls to close the school within the past 10 years but community leaders and the school's alumni base staved those off.

"The school's resurgence is like a breath of fresh air in North Minneapolis, and I want to give back and be a part of that,'' El-Amin said Wednesday in a statement from the school. "I'm excited to provide my experience and knowledge to the up-and-coming players. This just feels right."

In college, El-Amin helped lead Connecticut to an NCAA title in 1999. A second-round pick of the Chicago Bulls in the 2000 NBA draft, El-Amin played professionally all over the world for 15 years.

PAUL KLAUDA