Khalid El-Amin, the 5’-10” point guard who starred at Minneapolis North, and Faith Johnson Patterson, who starred at point guard for Marshall-University High School and coached at Minneapolis North and DeLaSalle, will both be inducted into the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame on Oct 20.
El-Amin’s journey
It has been quite a journey for Khalid El-Amin, one that started when his father Charles put up a basketball hoop on their garage. “I was in heaven,” El-Amin said joyfully. “I was hooked at four years old.”
Playing with older brothers Makram, a 1988 North basketball alum, and Ishmael, who also played, graduating in 1994, provided him with a love for the game.
“I just tagged along with them to the parks and playgrounds,” he said. “I saw how much joy the game brought to them and to me.”
El-Amin played in his first men’s league as a fourth-grader. “It definitely gave me the confidence to be able to play with anyone.”
After dominating his peers in sixth and seventh grade, he decided to give high school a try. “After talking with my family, it was a no-brainer to make the jump,” he said with confidence. “I wanted a new challenge.”
After spending the 1992-93 season splitting time on the junior varsity and varsity in eighth grade, El-Amin moved into a starting position the following year and played with Ishmael during his senior year.
“It was like a dream come true,” he said of playing fulltime with his brother. “Playing with him was awesome, and playing for North High meant even more.”
The seasons that followed included three consecutive state championships for the Polars, who were led by legendary coaches Robin Ingram and assistant Cliff Brown. Highlights included a come-from-behind victory over Staples-Motley in 1995, a game-winning three-pointer to beat St. Thomas Academy in the semifinals en route to the 1996 crown, and defeating Stillwater in 1997 to culminate the three-peat.
El-Amin made it clear that he did not get to this point by himself. “I want to thank my teammates, coaches, my family, and the whole Northside community for raising me, he said in conclusion. “This would not be happening without them.”
“It’s definitely an honor,” El-Amin said of his upcoming induction.
Arrow through below for Faith Johnson Patterson’s road to the Hall of Fame