Why Deng left NBA riches for S. Sudan’s rough diamonds
When his father carried them along to escape the second Sudanese civil war in the early 1990s, five-year-old Luol Deng did not imagine that he would later become an NBA star.
Deng’s father Aldo, a member of the Sudanese parliament, moved the family to Egypt to escape the war and while he was looking for peace for his family, he did not know he was laying the ground for his son to become a superstar.
In Egypt, they met former NBA center Manute Bol, a Dinka like them, who taught Deng’s elder brother, Ajou Deng, how to play basketball while also serving as a mentor for Luol himself. When they were granted political asylum, his family emigrated to London.
Deng would land a high school scholarship to the United States of America at the age of 14 and the rest is history.
“I went to high school in New Jersey for four years. I joined Duke University where I stayed for a year then was drafted by Chicago Bulls in 2004.
The fighting, hunger and death had affected me to the point that in school, I would shy away from saying that I am South Sudanese,” reflects Deng.
“When I got to the NBA, I knew how lucky I was to have the opportunity because there are kids that are more talented but never get it depending on life situations.
The basketball camps helped me realise the immense talent my country holds and I knew when I retire I’d be part of South Sudan’s basketball,” explains Luol, who would later join Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves in a career spanning 15 years in the NBA.
Laid foundation
To stay true to his promise of giving back to South Sudan, the two-time NBA All-Star then did the unusual. On October 17, 2019, Deng signed a one-day contract with the Chicago Bulls in order to retire with his longtime team then returned to South Sudan where he is the president of the country’s basketball federation.
It is a job Deng was prepared for even before retirement as he had already laid foundations.
Out of the 12 players on South Sudan’s roster for the 2019 FIBA pre-qualifiers that ended in Nairobi last weekend where the country won all but the final match, a 764-68 loss to Kenya Morans, 11 are plying their trade outside their troubled South Sudan and that is down to Deng’s connections.
“The timing of everything for me is a blessing. I was doing basketball camps in Australia, Canada, US, mostly for South Sudanese children, while still playing in the NBA.
I always knew I will do something to change the story of South Sudan basketball upon retirement,” he adds.
Having been in Nairobi for the week-long pre-qualifiers, Deng has seen enough to suggest there is enough talent in Africa which can play in the NBA just like he did.
“There are many tribes in Africa that can provide anything one is looking for talent-wise for all sports.
However, we are yet to understand and embrace this beauty that Africa is so rich, not from what they take from us (oil, minerals, diamonds etc) but from talent,” says the 6ft’9 forward.
“If you put the right programmes in place, it is possible to benefit from such talent. Rwanda are setting the pace in East Africa with their beautiful facilities,” he says.
Deng’s next step will be basketball tournaments in Juba every three months. The events will target under 14, 16 and 18 boys and girls as well as a wheel-chair tournament from across the country.
