Chicago Bulls goals for Al-Farouq Aminu: 3. Crash the boards
In May it was announced that Detroit Pistons legend, Ben Wallace, had been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Many people wondered how a guy who averaged 5.7 points per game for his career could be elected to the hall of fame. The answer is simple Wallace led the league in rebounding in 2002 and 2003 and consistently changed the game through rebounding and defense.
While it is highly unlikely that Al-Farouq Aminu will lead the league in rebounding or win the Defensive Player of the Year award, he has proven to be an above-average rebounder in years past. The majority of players who average double-digit rebounds play either the power forward or the center position. However, as a player who spent most of his time as a small forward, Aminu averaged over seven rebounds per game in 2017, 2018 and 2019 (7.4, 7.6 and 7.5). These numbers are not eye-popping but it is definitely the kind of production that will keep a player on the court. Last season, in six appearances for the Chicago Bulls, Aminu averaged 3.2 rebounds per game. If he wants to make his presence felt, he will have to get a lot closer to his former rebounding prowess.
Everyone in Chicago is excited to see how Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević perform when given a full season to gel. Coby White is improving every season and Patrick Williams appears to have been a good first-round selection. Now, the team needs the rest of its veteran roster to step up and fill in the gaps if they are going to make the playoffs. Al-Farouq Aminu has proven he has the ability to make a solid contribution to a winning team before. Fans in the Windy City are hoping he will prove it again.