photo: vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com

When he played at UConn you couldn’t miss him. Khalid El-Amin stuck out like the old guy at the club. His husky 5-10 frame was atypical of your cookie-cutter point guard. Opposing student sections constantly teased Khalid, calling him “fatboy” and “doughboy”.

But while he may have looked overweight, there weren’t many Big East Conference guards that could stop him one-on-one. Khalid could dice up defenders with his jumper, his pinpoint floaters in the lane, his crossover and his deceptive first step. And he knew it too. On the court, El-Amin ran with a New York swagger even though he came from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A schoolboy legend in the Twin Cities, Khalid led Minneapolis North to four straight state titles and earned himself a spot on the ‘97 McDonald’s All American team. In 1999, El-Amin along with Richard Hamilton took the UConn Huskies to the National Championship game, where they topped Duke for the title.

Khalid was a second round pick of the Bulls in 2000. Although he played well in the Windy City, the Bulls had a logjam of point guards and El-Amin was odd man out. After summer league and preseason stints with other squads, Khalid eventually found himself overseas where he spent time in France, Israel, Turkey and now Ukraine.

Bounce was able to catch up with Khalid last weekend as he chatted with us on his cell from Mariupol, Ukraine.

Bounce: Could you update readers what you are up to now?
Khalid El-Amin: I’m starting the 2008-09 season in Mariupol, Ukraine. My team (Azovmash Mariupol) is looking good – we have a great team actually. We’re just trying to find the chemistry and put it all together. That’s what is going on now with this season. At home, I have the el-aminbasketball.com – that’s my website. I do camps and I do a little kid’s league that starts in November. It’s for kindergarten through fourth grade. It’s gonna be age appropriate rims and it’s gonna be a fun thing. But I’m doing a lot of different things. I got the real estate thing going on, so that’s what I’m doing when I’m not playing basketball.

Bounce: Growing up in Minneapolis, who did you pattern your game after?
KE: Growing up, I had two older brothers, so I definitely wanted to be like them. Especially my oldest brother Makram – he would take me to the park with him, so I was definitely trying to be the kind of player that he was. Watching the NBA, Isiah Thomas, of course was a player that I would like, who I thought was a terrific player. That was somebody on the big stage who I guess I was trying to be like.

Bounce: What specific courts in the city did you play on?
KE: It wasn’t really one specific court. I played at the local YMCA, I played out at different parks around Minneapolis. I was a member of the Hospitality House, so I used to go out and play there a lot. Those three places were definitely the heart and soul of how I became a player and where I began.

Bounce: People that watched you at UConn and the Chicago Bulls remember that you had that swagger. Most people probably would have thought you were from New York. Where did that swagger come from?
KE: (laughs) I heard that a lot before. People thought I was from out East, but nah, I’m from Minneapolis, Minnesota, born and raised. It’s kind of hard to say when I got it (swagger). Of course when I was in high school I played with the New York Gauchos for a summer. I played with the Long Island Panthers for two summers. So I had the East Coast, I guess “swagger” in me from being out there. But I think that me being confident of being able to do what I do on the court, that’s what really gave me my confidence and I guess my swagger.

Bounce: Because of your build, you were the target of a lot of brutal heckling during college. How were you able to handle it?
KE: Well, I don’t know. I guess coming up I was just a strong person and I know words will never be able to hurt me. I knew as long as I could play well, I knew I had a great team with me, so if I played a little bit well, my teammates had my back (laughs). So just being a strong person and not listening to what other people say.

Bounce: Let’s rewind back to 2000. You had a decent rookie season with the Bulls. You started at times and you made the Rookie/Sophomore All Star Game. Were you surprised when they released you late in the season?
KE: I think it really just came down to business. There were four point guards on the team at the time. You had Bryce Drew, A.J. Guyton, myself and Jamal Crawford. I guess, it just came down to business and they went into another direction.

photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vedia/

Bounce: What has been the highlight of your playing career so far?
KE: It was definitely winning the national championship with Connecticut. That was just a big accomplishment. Coming from Minneapolis, that was a big thing. That was my most significant and my biggest thrill of my career.

Bounce: You have played overseas for the past seven seasons. What has that experience been like?
KE: It’s been great. Being able to see the world and play basketball? Now that’s just terrific! Of course I’d like to be in the NBA and have a multi million dollar contract. But my life the last six or seven years has been great, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It made me a stronger person, a better person. I take everything I have as a blessing and I feel good about my life. Like I said, I wouldn’t change anything. Going around the world has been great. You know some people don’t leave the United States their whole lives, so I have to understand that I’m blessed and be happy with my career.

photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uskgrub/

Bounce: Are there still aspirations to return to the NBA?
KE: There is. Of course there are always going to be aspirations. But right now, I’m comfortable over here. If I get an offer or if I get a chance to try to go back to the NBA, I definitely would. But as of right now, I’m worried about my European career – I’m focusing on that. And make sure I put my money to good use and put it to good investments so once I’m done playing I don’t have to go back to work.

Bounce: So do you play in any Pro-Ams when you’re home over the summer?
KE: Yeah, I play in the Pro-Am every summer. El-Amin Fish House – that’s my restaurant. We have a sponsored team that this past summer won a championship. So, I’m definitely going to always play and always be in the Minneapolis/St. Paul community. That’s where I’m from, I’m always gonna be there.

Bounce: Are there any pros or college stars that play in the Pro-Am?
KE: Yeah, the Gophers (University of Minnesota) their whole team is spread out on different teams. Quincy Lewis – he comes back and plays. Ariel McDonald he has a team in there. A lot of former Gophers come back and play. A lot of NBA guys, when they’re in town come back and play. Devean George, Kevin Garnett has played a couple of times.

Bounce: When you think of New York, you think of the flashy point guard. When you think of Chicago you think of the strong two guards like Dwyane Wade and Quentin Richardson. What kind of players does Minneapolis produce? Is there a certain style of play?
KE: That’s a hard question. I don’t really think Minneapolis has a style of play. I think it’s just go out and play hard, for one and I guess just try to put the ball in the basket. That was what I was taught growing up. I know Minnesota is not really known for it’s basketball. But I figure, when I was coming up, I had to be known for putting the ball in the basket and that’s what I did. If Minneapolis has a style of basketball, that is what I think it is – the scoring type players and try to go out and get baskets for you. I think that is the only way a player from Minnesota can get recognized and get attention.