STORRS, Conn. – The list of basketball accomplishments for Khalid El-Amin during his three years as the starting point guard for the UConn men's basketball team from 1997 through 2000 is long and impressive.

• UConn's first NCAA National Championship (1999)
• Final Four All-Tournament Team (1999)
• Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1998)
• NCAA East Regional All-Tournament Team (1998)
• Big East Rookie of the Year (1997-98)
• Two-time Big East All-Tournament Team (1999, 2000)
• All-Big East First Team selection (2000) 
• All-Big East Second Team selection (1999)
• Two Big East regular-season championships
• Two Big East Tournament championships
• Three NCAA Tournament appearances
• Three-year team record of 91-17 (.843)
• Three-year Big East team record of 41-11 (.788)
• Inducted into Huskies of Honor
• Second round draft pick by Chicago Bulls (2000)

Yet, one accomplishment has always been missing as El-Amin embarked on a 17-year professional career that took him from Chicago to 10 countries around the world – a UConn college degree.

It's missing no longer.

El-Amin can be as proud as he is of any of his basketball achievements after finishing his academic work this past summer and earning a Bachelor of General Studies degree.

"I always had plans to finish, but life happens," he said. "Part of it was if I wanted coach at the college level, I've got to have a degree, but I really wanted to finish because it was something I started. It's like a big weight off my shoulders and I'm proud and happy about that.

"Of course, UConn really helped a lot. They stepped up and played their part. I want to thank Patricia Harkins, my academic advisor, and her whole team. They were truly helpful and I wouldn't have been able to do this without them."

El-Amin, who still ranks No. 14 on UConn's all-time scoring list (1,650 points), joins a growing list of former players who have returned to earn a degree after their professional careers, including Hall of Famer Ray Allen, who donned a cap and gown and joined the 2023 graduates last May.

"I plan to do the same thing as Ray," El-Amin said. "It's a big deal. It's something that I'll cherish forever, like winning the national championship. I will definitely be at the commencement in May. I'm really looking forward to it.

"To know that so many UConn guys have come back and are able to finish is really gratifying. You hear a lot of stories about guys who didn't finish and maybe they've had a difficult experience trying to get there. I'm just happy that so many of us were able to come back and get our degrees long after we initially started."

El-Amin began his coaching career as an assistant at Minneapolis (Minn.) North High School, his alma mater, where as a player, he led the team to three consecutive state championships, and was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball and a McDonald's All-American. For the past two years, he has been the head coach at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, last year guiding the team to a 23-6 record and to the Section 3AAA state championship game.

This season, he has moved into the college coaching ranks by taking the job of head coach at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Cambridge, Minn.

"It's definitely all I thought it would be," El-Amin said with a laugh. "But it's fun, helping these young guys get better and having them see the game through my eyes. It's been quite a fun experience so far. I want to show that I can run a program. I definitely have the work ethic for that. I love being around the game. I love breaking down and watching film. I've got to show what I can do.

"A lot of things that I do are things that we did at UConn under Coach (Jim) Calhoun. Man, I really appreciate my experience with Coach. He taught me a lot and I wouldn't have had such a long career if it wasn't for him."

Obviously, El-Amin watched UConn steamroll through the 2023 NCAA Tournament, just as he watched the three UConn championship runs that followed his own in 1999.

"It felt great to see the Huskies back on top again," he said. "I'm really happy for the guys. I was able to be in Vegas to watch them play Arkansas and Gonzaga. What a tremendous team and what a run through the tournament – it was incredible. It was the right coaching staff, the right chemistry, the right cohesiveness. I felt so proud to be a Husky."

And now, a UConn graduate.