Luol Deng facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Luol Deng
OBE

Deng with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2019
Personal information
Born	(1985-04-16) 16 April 1985 (age 40) Wau, Sudan
Nationality	South Sudanese / British
High school	St Mary's Roman Catholic (Croydon, London) Blair Academy (Blairstown, New Jersey)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	237 lb (108 kg)
Career information
College	Duke (2003–2004)
NBA Draft	2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2004–2019
Career history
2004–2014	Chicago Bulls
2014	Cleveland Cavaliers
2014–2016	Miami Heat
2016–2018	Los Angeles Lakers
2018–2019	Minnesota Timberwolves
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA All-Star (2012, 2013) NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2012) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2005) NBA Sportsmanship Award (2007) USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2004) Third-team All-ACC (2004) First-team Parade All-American (2003) McDonald's All-American (2003)
Career NBA statistics
Points	13,361 (14.8 ppg)
Rebounds	5,468 (6.1 rpg)
Assists	2,042 (2.3 apg)

Luol Ajou Deng OBE (born 16 April 1985) is a former professional basketball player. He played in the NBA. Luol was a two-time NBA All-Star player. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2012.

Luol was born in South Sudan, which was then part of Sudan. His family left the country when he was a child. They eventually settled in the United Kingdom. He became a British citizen in 2006. He has played for the Great Britain national team.

After playing college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, Luol was picked by the Phoenix Suns. This was in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft. He was the seventh player chosen overall. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2005. He was only 19 years old then. Luol was a small forward. He was an All-Star with the Chicago Bulls in 2012 and 2013. He later played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Since 2019, Luol Deng has been the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation. He is also an assistant coach for the South Sudan national team. He used to be their head coach.

Early Life and Moving to the UK

Luol Deng was born in Wau, Sudan. He is part of the Dinka group. When he was young, his father, Aldo Deng, was a member of the Sudanese parliament. His family moved to Egypt to escape the Second Sudanese Civil War.

In Egypt, they met Manute Bol, a famous former NBA player. Manute Bol was also Dinka. He taught Luol's older brother, Ajou Deng, how to play basketball. He also helped Luol learn the game. Later, Luol's family was given political asylum. They moved to Brixton in South London, UK.

Luol went to St Mary's Roman Catholic High School in Croydon. He loved soccer and admired Faustino Asprilla. But he also kept playing basketball. He was invited to join England's 15-and-under basketball team.

He started his basketball journey at Brixton TopCats. His coach, Jimmy Rogers, encouraged him to focus on basketball. Luol played for Croydon at the London Youth Games. He was later added to their Hall of Fame. At 13, he played for the England under-18 team. He averaged 40 points and 14 rebounds. He was named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the tournament. Then, he led England to the finals of the European Junior National Tournament. He averaged 34 points and won another MVP award.

At 14, Luol moved to the United States. He went to Blair Academy in New Jersey to play basketball. One of his teammates was Charlie Villanueva, who also became an NBA player. In his final year of high school, Luol was seen as the second most promising player in the US. Only LeBron James was considered better. He was named First Team All-America by Parade and USA Today. He was chosen for the McDonald's High School All-America game. However, he could not play due to a foot injury.

College Basketball at Duke

Luol Deng received a scholarship to attend Duke University. He played for coach Mike Krzyzewski's Duke Blue Devils team. This was during the 2003–04 season. In his one year at Duke, he played in 37 games and started 32. He averaged 15.1 points per game. His team reached the 2004 Final Four. He was one of only ten freshmen in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to lead all freshmen in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage.

Professional Career

Chicago Bulls (2004–2014)

After one year at Duke, Luol entered the 2004 NBA draft. The Phoenix Suns picked him seventh overall. But he was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. Luol had a wrist injury late in his first season. Still, he made the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He helped the Bulls get back to the playoffs after seven years. He played in 61 games and averaged 11.7 points per game.

In his second season, Luol improved his stats. He scored 14.3 points and grabbed 6.6 rebounds per game. He helped the Bulls reach the playoffs again. For the 2006–07 season, Luol started all 82 regular season games. His stats continued to get better. He led the team in minutes played (37.5) and field goal percentage (.517). He became a strong second scoring option, averaging 18.8 points per game. He also rarely committed fouls on defense. On 3 May, Luol won the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Before the 2008–09 season, Luol signed a new contract with the Bulls. It was for six years and $71 million. The Bulls' general manager, John Paxson, said Luol was a big part of their future. Due to injuries, Luol played in fewer games in some seasons. But he continued to be a key player for the Bulls. He helped them make the playoffs multiple times.

In the 2010–11 season, Luol scored a career-high 40 points against the Portland Trail Blazers. He also improved his three-point shooting. Coach Tom Thibodeau called Luol the "glue" that held the Bulls together. Luol was the team's second-leading scorer in the playoffs. He was praised for his defense against LeBron James.

Deng shooting a jump shot in a game with the Bulls

During the 2011–12 season, Luol injured his wrist. He tore a ligament but decided to play through the pain. On 9 February, Luol was chosen as a reserve for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. This was his first All-Star selection. He joined teammate Derrick Rose. At the end of the season, Luol was selected for the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

Luol was selected as an All-Star again for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game. He averaged 16.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He also led the league in minutes played (38.7). Even without Derrick Rose, the Bulls had a good season. They reached the conference semifinals in the 2013 playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2014)

On 7 January 2014, the Chicago Bulls traded Luol to the Cleveland Cavaliers. At the time, Luol was one of the longest-serving Bulls players. He was also the fourth-leading scorer in the team's history. In his first game with the Cavaliers, he scored 10 points. Two games later, he scored 27 points. He finished the season averaging 14.1 points.

Miami Heat (2014–2016)

On 15 July 2014, Luol signed with the Miami Heat. He had his best scoring game of the 2014–15 season with 29 points. He averaged 14 points and 5.2 rebounds per game that season. In February 2016, he scored a season-high 30 points against the Atlanta Hawks. The Heat finished third in their conference. In the 2016 playoffs, Luol set a Heat playoff record. He scored 31 points in his playoff debut for the team.

Los Angeles Lakers (2016–2018)

On 7 July 2016, Luol signed a four-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers signed him and Timofey Mozgov after Kobe Bryant retired. However, Luol's playing time decreased. He missed the last 22 games of the 2016–17 season. This was to give younger players more time on the court.

In the 2017–18 season, Luol played only one game. He and coach Luke Walton decided it was better for him to stay in the locker room. On 1 September 2018, the Lakers released him. This allowed him to find playing time elsewhere. It also helped the Lakers create salary cap space.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2018–2019)

On 10 September 2018, Luol signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He reunited with former teammates like Derrick Rose. On 11 February 2019, Luol started a game and scored 12 points. This was his first start since October 2017. His final NBA game was on February 27, 2019. He later signed a one-day contract with the Bulls to retire as a member of their team.

Playing for Great Britain

Luol Deng played for England's under-16 and under-19 basketball teams. He was also an ambassador for the 2012 Summer Olympics. In October 2006, Luol became a British citizen. He was then called to play for the Great Britain national team. He played his first game for Great Britain on 9 August 2007. He scored 19 points. In his first official game, he scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. He played with the team at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He averaged 15.8 points per game. Great Britain finished with one win and four losses. Luol has both South Sudanese and British citizenship.

After Retirement

Luol Deng has been praised for helping basketball grow in South Sudan. In November 2019, he became the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation (SSBF). In November 2020, it was announced that Luol would coach the South Sudan national team. As of 2023, he is an assistant coach for the team. He also continues to be the president of the SSBF. For his work, he has been compared to Jerry West, a famous basketball figure.

Personal Life

Luol Deng is involved in many charities. He supports the UK children's charity School Home Support. He is known for his work helping the Lost Boys of Sudan and other refugees. In 2006 and 2007, he traveled to Africa, Asia, and Europe. He went with the NBA for their Basketball Without Borders tour. He is also a spokesperson for the World Food Programme. His former general manager, John Paxson, said Luol was a great person and player.

Luol is a fan of the Premier League soccer team Arsenal F.C.. He was on the cover of the NBA Live 09 and NBA Live 10 video games in the United Kingdom. His cousin, Peter Jok, is also a professional basketball player. Luol has invested in real estate since he joined the NBA. In 2020, he was named one of the most influential people in the UK of African/African–Caribbean descent. In 2010, he received an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University. Luol is also shown on one of the Brixton Pound's local currency notes. In 2021, he was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to basketball.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

See also

In Spanish: Luol Deng para niños

• List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders
• List of European basketball players in the United States