One on One with Luol Deng

By Ash Read on November 7, 2011

Born in Sudan, Deng is the eighth of nine children. When he was just five years old his family fled to Egypt to escape the civil war in Sudan. The Deng family spent four years in Egypt, where Luol’s love for basketball blossomed.

In 1994 his family moved to England and Luol started to play for the Brixton Topcats where he received tutelage from the legendary British coach Jimmy Rogers. His performances for Brixton and the England national team lead to him being scouted and offered a scholarship to Blair Academy in New Jersey.

His rapid progression and development continued in the US and he went on to receive offers from over 100 colleges, finally choosing to attend Duke University. After just one year at Duke, Deng entered the 2004 NBA draft, aged 19, and was drafted 7th overall by the Phoenix Suns and immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. Since being drafted Deng has become one of the Bulls’ top players.

One on One

We recently had the chance to catch up with Luol Deng and speak about his life and the sport he loves.

How did you first get into basketball?
My older brothers played so they got me involved by teaching me the rules and how to dribble and shoot. We all really picked the sport up quite quickly.

What are your earliest memories of the sport?
Playing in Egypt with my brothers, where Manute Bol came to visit and also my time at Brixton Topcats as this is when I started to take basketball seriously.

Who was the first team you played for and your fondest memories of that team?
Brixton Topcats. My fondest memories was how competitive the team was – we had some great players and we all battled to get our spots. I made a lot of friends from the club who I still talk to now.

Who/what was your biggest inspiration?
My Dad is a huge inspiration to me as he had to make so many sacrifices for us in order to keep us safe. He made a great decision which really paid off for the whole family.

Who has had the biggest influence over your basketball career?
This is tough as I have had some amazing coaches with Jimmy Rogers at Brixton to Coach K at Duke and Coach Montagna from my High School, who have all played a huge part in my playing career. I would say all of these guys have made a huge influence in their own way in different stages of my life.

What difficulties did you face on your way to the top and what kept you going through the hard times?
We all face difficulties in life. I had to face many but it’s what you have to do if you want to reach a high goal. I have a great family who support one another and I have a positive attitude which my parents installed into all of us. I would say staying positive has got me through many hard times.

Proudest moment of your career?
Being drafted into the NBA. It was a dream of mine from a young age and was unreal to be there with my family on draft night.

Any advice for young players trying to make it in basketball?
Work hard and be true to the sport. So many people say they put the work in but it is easy to say rather than do it. You have to love the sport and have passion to drive you on to put the hours in.

What does the future hold for basketball in Great Britain?
I really don’t know, but I want the future to improve and be more stable! I hope that having the sport on a huge platform like 2012 will bring a positive step to the sport. Basketball is played by so many people in the UK and I hope that 2012 can encourage more to get involved and maybe more importantly keep current players interested to continue to play.

Off The Court

Deng isn’t just a great role model on the court, his dedication to improving the lives of others is summed up by the work of his Luol Deng Foundation. Luol established the Foundation, in the UK and the USA, to help benefit the lives and places that have touched him and his family and to give back to the places that have contributed and played a huge role into his life’s journey and success.

He has received the United Nations Refugee Agency’s humanitarian award – and US President Barrack Obama led the tributes to the Great Britain forward;

“In a world rife with conflict, one of our most important obligations is to look after the innocent victims – and few understand this better than Luol Deng.” Said President Obama; “His dedication to bringing hope to millions is an inspiration, as is Luol’s own life itself. Both on and off the court, he sets a standard of excellence and service that all Americans can look to for inspiration.”

Is Luol Deng one of the most under-appreciated British sports stars? Will he be one of the standout performers at London 2012? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Related Posts:

• Inspirational Coaches: How John Wooden Redefined Success
• Britain Needs Basketball
• It’s About So Much More Than Winning and Losing

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