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 Luol Deng: From Sudan to the NBA
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THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2007
14:37 MECCA TIME, 11:37 GMT
Luol Deng: From Sudan to the NBA
By Brendan Connor
Luol Deng: Looking to power against the Pistons [GALLO/GETTY]
The sporting world today is seen as a melting pot of the world's many nationalities, cultures and religions, but Luol Deng's journey to the heights of NBA stardom stands out a example of the global reach of basketball.
Born in Sudan, he left as a toddler, escaping civil war and moving to Egypt.
Then it was another move to England and the streets of North London where he was a football fan and, eventually, a basketball prodigy.
Then it was off to America for a year playing with Duke University, and into the NBA at age 19.
It's quite a route taken by emerging Chicago Bulls superstar Luol Deng, who's now 22 and has helped lead the Bulls back to respectability.
In fact, his scoring average of 26.3 points per game in the playoff series the Bulls won easily against the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat was the highest by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan, who retired in 1998.
Playing in the best basketball league in the world, facing the sport's luminaries like Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant, Deng admits that occasionally he has to pinch himself to make sure he's not dreaming.
"I am blessed," says the 6-foot-eight-inch forward, as he pauses to chat during his pre-game warmup drills before a recent game.
"It's a dream come true. I've believed in everything I did, and I am just really lucky."
A long road
Deng says that the nomadic journey he took to get to the professional basketball ranks in America has made him more appreciative of the opportunity and the achievement.
"A lot of guys live today without knowing much about what's going on in the world, and what life feels like in other countries. I've been lucky to be there, to witness it all, and take it all in. And I've been mature enough to take the positive out of it," says Deng.
Deng dunks with authority [GALLO/GETTY]
When Deng left Sudan as a child, he moved to Alexandria, Egypt, where as a boy from a Christian family, he had to assimilate in a mostly Muslim neighbourhood.
But he says it was never a problem.
"It was fine. You learn how to behave. We stuck with our religion and we went to church, but I had a lot of Muslim friends growing up."
He even observed Ramadan when his friends did, being careful not to eat or drink around them while they were fasting.
"It just makes you appreciate other things. I think a lot of people have negative ideas about what's going on, but I was able to live it, and I still have friends there. So I've been really lucky that way."
Making a difference
As for the current crises in Sudan, especially in the troubled Darfur region, Deng watches and feels for his country even though his life is a long way behind him.
"My family, my Dad is still in the Sudan, and it's tough to see and hear the news from there. You don't want to see things like that, not just in Sudan but anywhere in the world, but I think there are people out there who are trying to make a difference.
"If you can help one person it makes a lot of difference. You don't want to see it, but you know that’s our world today. The reality is that it's not really balanced, but that’s something we’ve got to solve."
Deng is doing his best to help solve some of Sudan's problems, sharing his NBA wealth with the country of his birth.
"I have a foundation. My Dad takes care of my foundation back in the Sudan, and I do stuff for the World Food Programme, just small events, but I try to do stuff here and there. It helps me appreciate what I have, and remind myself how lucky I am, and I try to share it."
Having spent many of his formative sports-loving years in London, Deng is a huge football fan, and is a great supporter of the English Premiership club, Arsenal.
"I am a big Arsenal fan. That's my team. I know it wasn't a great year for the Gunners, but almost every team has to go through a season like this now and then. But we'll be fine, we'll regroup. We're Arsenal man! We'll be there."
Planning on 2012
Deng has also recently attained his British citizenship, and will play for the GBR team in the 2012 Olympics where as hosts, they'll have an automatic berth in the Olympic basketball tournament.
"We're going to surprise some people. Basketball is small in England just now, but there's a lot of talent there. The Olympics being in London is just a blessing because a lot of us who loved basketball growing up there felt like our sport was left out.
"But now, with a chance to play in the Olympics, we're going to show everyone what a great game this is, and how we have worked hard at it."
As for now, Deng is just enjoying his life, soaking up the atmosphere and the experience of playing for one of the world's most famous basketball teams, a team that won six championships in the 1990's.
"Oh yeah, growing up in London I knew who the Chicago Bulls were. Everyone did. I was a Bulls fan, and now I'm playing for them and living the dream. I don't want to wake up anytime soon !"
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Source: Aljazeera
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Re: Luol Deng: From Sudan to the NBA (Re: Deng)
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Quote: It was fine. You learn how to behave. We stuck with our religion and we went to church, but I had a lot of Muslim friends growing up."
He even observed Ramadan when his friends did, being careful not to eat or drink around them while they were fasting.
"It just makes you appreciate other things. I think a lot of people have negative ideas about what's going on, but I was able to live it, and I still have friends there. So I've been really lucky that way."
Making a difference
As for the current crises in Sudan, especially in the troubled Darfur region, Deng watches and feels for his country even though his life is a long way behind him.
"My family, my Dad is still in the Sudan, and it's tough to see and hear the news from there. You don't want to see things like that, not just in Sudan but anywhere in the world, but I think there are people out there who are trying to make a difference.
"If you can help one person it makes a lot of difference. You don't want to see it, but you know that’s our world today. The reality is that it's not really balanced, but that’s something we’ve got to solve."
Deng is doing his best to help solve some of Sudan's problems, sharing his NBA wealth with the country of his birth.
"I have a foundation. My Dad takes care of my foundation back in the Sudan, and I do stuff for the World Food Programme, just small events, but I try to do stuff here and there. It helps me appreciate what I have, and remind myself how lucky I am, and I try to share it."
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ياله من حديث طيب حول علاقته بوطنه ... وبأصدقائه المسلمين وتقديره لمشاعرهم الدينية
أنسان بهذه الصفة جدير بأن يحمل همَ ما يلاقيه مواطني بلاده من محن من خلال دعمه الانساني
الرياضة في تساميها تدعو للمحبة وخليق بالرياضيين من امثال دينق أن يكونوا بهذا القدر من الجمال والمسؤلية
شكرا لدينق (اللاعب)
ولدينق البوردابي
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Re: Luol Deng: From Sudan to the NBA (Re: حيدر حسن ميرغني)
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التحية للبطل لوال دينق ...
الذى جعل اسم السودان يتردد كل ليلة من ليالى ال NBA PLAYOFF هذه السنة و التى سبقتها ...
و الذى افردت له الليلة حلقة خاصة على شبكة ESPN قبل لقائهم بفريق DETROIT PISTONS
هل يا ترى سمعت به ( لوال دينق ) فضائيتنا المسماة السودانية ؟؟؟
كسرة :
اعتب على لوال دينق  دوره الكبير فى اقصاء فريقنا MIAMI HEAT
عبدالماجد
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Deng
حيدر حسن ميرغني
الفاتح ميرغني
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست