Ajou Deng facts for kids
| Fox Basketball Club | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 24 December 1978 Wau, Sudan (now South Sudan) |
| Nationality | Sudanese /British |
| High school | St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Connecticut) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 2003 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2004–2009 |
| Coaching career | 2020–present |
| League | Road to BAL |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2004–2005 | Brighton Bears |
| 2005 | Scottish Rocks |
| 2006 | Guildford Heat |
| 2007–2008 | Guildford Heat |
| 2008 | Slavia Tu Kosice |
| 2008–2009 | London Capital |
| As coach: | |
| 2020 | South Sudan |
| 2024–present | Fox |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Ajou Deng (born on December 24, 1978) is a former professional basketball player and a coach from South Sudan and Britain. He is the son of Aldo Deng, who was a politician in Sudan. Ajou is also the brother of Luol Deng, a famous player who played in the NBA.
Playing Basketball in College
Ajou Deng, who is 6 feet 11 inches tall, played as a center in college. He played for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 1999 to 2001. During his time with the Huskies, people called him "Juice."
After that, he played for the Fairfield Stags from 2001 to 2003. Some basketball experts thought he would be one of the best players ever, but his college career didn't quite reach those very high expectations.
Playing Basketball Professionally
After finishing college, Ajou Deng moved back to Great Britain. His family had been given a safe place to live there. He joined a professional basketball team called the Brighton Bears for the 2004-05 season.
During that season, he played 37 games. He scored 428 points, which was about 11.57 points per game. He also got almost 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in each game.
He started the next season with the Scottish Rocks. Then, he joined the Guildford Heat. In the 2005-06 season, he played 37 games again. He scored 398 points, averaging about 10.76 points per game. He also had 6.43 rebounds and one block per game.
In March 2006, Ajou was named the BBL Player of the Month. He was also chosen as a BBL All-Star that year. In his first year as a professional, he helped the Brighton Bears win the BBL Cup.
Ajou Deng did not play during the 2006-07 season because of an ankle injury. He went to Chicago, United States, for treatment. He stayed with his brother, Luol Deng, who was playing for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA at the time.
Ajou returned to the Guildford Heat on December 7, 2007. He left the Guildford Heat in February 2008 to play for Slavia Tu Kosice in Slovakia.
Coaching Career
In 2020, Ajou Deng became the head coach for the South Sudan national basketball team. As of 2024, he is the head coach for the Fox Basketball Club, a team from South Sudan. They played in the Elite 16 tournament, which is part of the qualification for the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
