Wake Forest expecting great things from Aminu

By: By Dan Collins | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: October 15, 2008

Before freshman forward Al-Farouq Aminu can make a name for himself at Wake Forest, it's worth determining what that name should be.

Say you see Aminu on the street or walking around campus, how should he be addressed?

"Farouq," he said.

What Aminu will not be called at Wake Forest, at least no time soon, is braggadocios. For a player considered to be one of the best incoming freshmen in college basketball, he's remarkably reserved.

Some might consider him shy, so much so that he couldn't even conceive of how his reputation from high school could cause chemistry problems among the veterans on the Wake Forest roster when the Deacons have their first practice Thursday.

"We have great teammates," Aminu said. "I never tried to put myself above anybody.

"It only matters what you do in college. Nobody even looked at my high-school accolades or anything like that."

But teammates have seen enough of Aminu in the preseason pickup games and workouts to be convinced that he will make a big impact this season both on Wake Forest and the ACC.

He was a first-team Parade All-America, played in the 2008 McDonald's All-Star game and was ranked as high as the seventh best freshman coming into college basketball by Web sites specializing in recruiting.

"Everybody knows the hype Farouq came in with," junior L.D. Williams said. "And to be honest with you, it's not hype.

"He can really go out and help us."

The Deacons already have a forward in James Johnson who was good enough last season as a freshman to lead the Deacons in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg). Johnson is 6-9, Aminu 6-8. Both are known for their ability to play multiple positions.

Both will need the ball for the Deacons to be successful.

Aminu said he sees no problems.

"He's really become like a big brother to me," Aminu said of Johnson. "He took me in and we really hang out all the time now. We've been able to mix our games together.

"He's a really good player and I'm a smart player as well. So we've been able, in open gym, to see how each other plays, and just work off each other."

Senior Harvey Hale considers that an understatement, calling Johnson and Aminu the two most impressive players during preseason pickup games.

"I felt like it was one of those all-star games," Hale said. "You get two superstar guys on the same team and they're just feeding off each other. You put a Kobe (Bryant) and a LeBron James on the USA team and Kobe and LeBron are just feeding off each other.

"I think they're just going to feed off each other in what they do this year. James is going to kick out to Farouq and Farouq can kick out to James. They can go on a break and finish, slash a little bit and finish, pick and pop, everything.

"It's going to be fun."

But only one Wake Forest player is known to be descended from a line of Nigerian kings. That would be Al-Farouq Aminu, and the Al-Farouq is translated as "the chief has arrived."

But you can call him Farouq.

■ Dan Collins can be reached at 727-7323 or at dcollins@wsjournal.com.