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Luol Ajou Deng (born 16 April 1985) is a British former professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player. He was a two-time NBA All-Star and was named to the
NBA All-Defensive Second Team The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. The All-Defensive Team is generally composed of ten players in two ...
in 2012. Born in what is now
South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of th ...
, Deng fled the country with his family as a child, eventually settling in the United Kingdom. He became a
British citizen British nationality law prescribes the conditions under which a person is recognised as being a national of the United Kingdom. The six different classes of British nationality each have varying degrees of civil and political rights, due to the ...
in 2006, and has played for the Great Britain national team. After playing
college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
for the
Duke Blue Devils The Duke Blue Devils are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Duke University, located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke's athletics department features 27 varsity teams that all compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Associatio ...
, Deng was selected by the
Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft with the seventh overall pick. He was named to the
NBA All-Rookie First Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for player ...
as a 19-year-old in 2005. The
small forward The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronge ...
was an All-Star with the Bulls in 2012 and 2013 before splitting the 2013–14 season with the
Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...
. After just half a season with Cleveland, Deng joined the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
for 2014–15. He played two seasons for the Heat before signing with the Lakers in 2016. He spent his last season with the
Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
.


Early life

Deng was born in Wau,
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
(now in
South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of th ...
) and is a member of the
Dinka The Dinka people ( din, Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ) are a Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan with a sizable diaspora population abroad. The Dinka mostly live along the Nile, from Jonglei to Renk, in the region of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile (two out ...
ethnic group. When he was young, his father
Aldo Aldo may refer to: * Aldo (given name), male given name ** Aldo (footballer, born 1977) ** Aldo (footballer, born 1988) * Aldo Group, a worldwide chain of shoe stores * Aldosterone Aldosterone is the main mineralocorticoid steroid hormone pro ...
, a member of the Sudanese parliament, moved the family to
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
to escape the
Second Sudanese Civil War The Second Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1983 to 2005 between the central Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army. It was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated ...
. In Egypt, they met former NBA center Manute Bol, another
Dinka The Dinka people ( din, Jiɛ̈ɛ̈ŋ) are a Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan with a sizable diaspora population abroad. The Dinka mostly live along the Nile, from Jonglei to Renk, in the region of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile (two out ...
, who taught Deng's older brother, Ajou Deng, how to play basketball and also mentored Luol. When they were granted political asylum, his family immigrated to
Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th cent ...
,
South London South London is the southern part of London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the boroughs, in whole or in part, of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Southwark, Sut ...
. Deng was educated at St. Mary's RC High School, a
voluntary aided A voluntary aided school (VA school) is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust (usually a religious organisation), contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school. In m ...
state comprehensive school in
Croydon Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an exten ...
in
South London South London is the southern part of London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the boroughs, in whole or in part, of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Southwark, Sut ...
. He developed an interest in football, admiring
Faustino Asprilla Faustino Hernán Asprilla Hinestroza (born 10 November 1969) is a Colombian former professional footballer who most notably played for Parma, Newcastle United and the Colombia national team as a forward. Club career Early years After starting ...
of
Newcastle United Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, that plays in the Premier League – the top flight of English football. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East En ...
, but also continued to play basketball, and was invited to join England's 15-and-under team in that sport. During this time, he began his career at Brixton Basketball Club. He represented
Croydon Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an exten ...
at the London Youth Games, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame. At age 13, he played for England's squad in the European Junior Men's Qualifying Tournament, averaging 40 points and 14 rebounds. He was named the (MVP) of the tournament. Next, he led England to the finals of the European Junior National Tournament, where he averaged (34) points and earned another (MVP) award. At age 14, Luol moved to the United States to play basketball at
Blair Academy Blair Academy is a coeducational, boarding and day school for students in high school. The school serves students from ninth through twelfth grades as well as a small post-graduate class. The school's campus is located on a campus in Blairs ...
in
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
. One of his teammates was future (NBA) player Charlie Villanueva. Deng was also named a Tri-Captain at Blair along with Villanueva. During his senior year, Deng was considered the second most promising high school senior in America after
LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest p ...
and was named First Team All-America by ''
Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of s ...
'' and
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
. He was selected to play in the McDonald's High School All-America game, but could not play due to a foot injury. Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Deng was listed as the No. 1 small forward and the No. 2 player in the nation in 2003.


College career

Deng accepted an athletic scholarship to attend
Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist Jam ...
, where he played for coach Mike Krzyzewski's Duke Blue Devils basketball team in 2003–04. In one season at Duke, he appeared in 37 games and made 32 starts. He averaged 30.1 minutes and scored 15.1
points per game Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by nu ...
en route to a berth in the 2004 Final Four. He was only the 10th freshman in ACC history to lead all freshmen in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage.


Professional career


Chicago Bulls (2004–2014)


2004–05 season

After one year at Duke, Deng entered the 2004 NBA draft. He was picked seventh overall by the
Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
, but was immediately traded to the
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
by prior agreement. Deng suffered a season-ending wrist injury late in his rookie season, but still made the
NBA All-Rookie First Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for player ...
to help the resurgent Bulls return to the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Deng played in 61 games and averaged 11.7 points per game. On 8 February, Deng recorded his first double-double vs. the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division. Th ...
.


2005–06 season

In his second season, he posted strong performances throughout March and April to help the Bulls earn their second consecutive playoff berth. His offensive statistics improved in his sophomore season, increasing his scoring to 14.3 points per game, and increasing his rebounding to 6.6 per game, up from a 5.3 average his rookie season. Deng had four straight double-double performances from 28 February to 5 March, with at least ten points and rebounds in each game. In the playoffs, the Bulls faced off against the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
in a best of 7-game series. Deng came off the bench in all six games, averaging ten points per game.


2006–07 season

For the 2006–07 season, Deng was the only Bull to start all 82 regular season games. All of his numbers continued to improve, and he led the team in minutes played (37.5) and field goal percentage (.517), while playing a strong second scoring option to Ben Gordon, with a marked improvement to 18.8 points per game. Deng also notably rarely committed fouls on defense (2.00 per game), despite the minutes he played and frequently being outsized in matchups against power forwards such as Kevin Garnett. On 27 December 2006, Deng was driving in the lane when Miami Heat player James Posey grabbed him, causing concern that Deng may have re-injured his wrist. Posey earned a
flagrant foul In basketball, a flagrant foul is a personal foul that involves excessive or violent contact that could injure the fouled player. A flagrant foul may be unintentional or purposeful; the latter type is also called an "intentional foul" in the Nati ...
, was ejected and suspended for one game. Deng scored 32 points against the Cavaliers just three nights later, resolving concern that the wrist would be re-injured. On 26 March 2007 Deng posted a new career-high 38 points to lead the Bulls to a home victory against the Portland Trail Blazers. Deng converted 18 of his 25 shots from the field. Deng has won three major sportsmanship awards. On 3 May 2007, Deng won the NBA's sportsmanship award in a vote by players. The award honours the player who best exemplifies ethical behaviour, fair play, and integrity on the court. For that award, the league donated $25,000 on his behalf to Pacific Garden Mission, the oldest continuously operating rescue mission in the country. Deng also won the 2006–2007 Golden Icon Award for Best Sports Role Model. The awards are presented by the Travolta entertainment family. Most recently, he won the 2008 UN Refugee Agency's Humanitarian of the Year Award as part of the
UNHCR The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integrat ...
's ninemillion.org campaign to bring education and sports to millions of displaced children.


2007–08 season

Near the beginning of the season, the Bulls started negotiating a contract extension for Deng. Negotiations were mostly handled by Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. The team offered Deng a five-year extension for $57.5 million. However, Deng decided to reject the deal and wait until the season ended to continue negotiations.At long last, Bulls announce signing of Deng to six-year deal
on
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
; Stein, Marc (31 July 2008)
In the (2007–08) season, Luol played in (63) games, missing (19) mostly because of left
Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's '' Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Pe ...
tendinitis. Despite injuries, Deng still averaged (17.0) points per game and (6.3) rebounds per game. He had his best game against the
Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 196 ...
when he scored (32) points in a 151–135 victory. The Bulls missed the playoffs in the (2007–08) season for the first time since 2004.


2008–09 season

Before the season started, Deng agreed to a contract extension for six years and ($71) million. The agreement was announced by Bulls general manager, John Paxson. Paxson said in a statement "Signing Luol has always been a priority for this organization and we have always felt that he was a big part of our future. We are very happy that Luol will now be with us long term as we continue to grow as an organization." Due to injury, Deng played in (48) games. During the regular season Luol's scoring dropped to (14.1) points per game and his rebounding dropped to 6.0 per game. The Bulls made the playoffs, but Luol missed the entire playoffs due to injury.


2009–10 season

Deng played in a total of 70 games during the 2009–10 season, also increasing his scoring and rebounding to 17.6 and 7.3 respectively, helping the Bulls make the playoffs again. He missed 11 straight games at the end of March because of a sprained right calf. During the first-round of the playoffs, Deng averaged (34.8) points per game along with (5.0) rebounds per game against the
Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...
. He scored (26) points in the final game, but couldn't prevent the Bulls being eliminated by the Cavs.


2010–11 season

On 1 November 2010, Deng scored a new career-high 40 points, hitting (14) of his (19) shots, along with 9 of 11 free throws, against the Portland Trail Blazers, scoring a point a minute. On 24 February 2011, Deng scored 20 points, 10 rebounds, and hit the game winning 3-point shot with 16 seconds left on the clock in a game against the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
. Throughout the season, Deng significantly improved his 3-point shooting after coach
Tom Thibodeau Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr. ( ; born January 17, 1958) is an American basketball coach who is the head coach for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an assistant coach for the United States men's national ...
asked him to. In the past four seasons, Deng attempted 132 3-point shots, whereas this season he attempted 333, hitting 115 for a 34%. Deng finished the season averaging 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, being the third lead scorer for the Chicago Bulls behind
Derrick Rose Derrick Martell Rose (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the Memphis Tigers before being draft ...
(25.0) and
Carlos Boozer Carlos Austin Boozer Jr. (born November 20, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. The two-time NBA All-Star played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers, and then spent his last seas ...
(17.5). This was also Deng's seventh season averaging double figures. During the first round of the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...
against the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first estab ...
, Deng averaged 18.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, being the second leading scorer of the team behind Derrick Rose. On 31 March 2011, Eric Bressman of '' Dime'' magazine called Deng "the most underrated player" writing he was "never the face of the franchise but always the backbone". Coach Thibodeau has consistently called Deng the "glue" that holds the Bulls together. "Luol's professional. He practices hard. He prepares well. He studies his opponent. He's great at executing offensively and defensively. He's helped this team get better every day," said Thibodeau. Deng was the Bulls' second leading scorer during the playoffs. In the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals against the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
, Deng was praised for his defense on
LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest p ...
. However, the Miami Heat went on to eliminate the Bulls in five games. Deng averaged just under 43 minutes, 16.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game during the playoffs.


2011–12 season: All-Star season

Deng injured his wrist during the fourth quarter against the Charlotte Bobcats on 21 January 2012. Initially thought to be a minor injury, it was later revealed by an (MRI) that Deng tore the ligament in his left wrist. Deng decided to postpone surgery and play the rest of the season through the pain. He returned to the starting line-up against the Milwaukee Bucks on 4 February 2012, scoring 21 points with 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block. On 9 February 2012, Deng was selected as a reserve for the (2012) NBA All-Star Game's Eastern Conference team, joining teammate Derrick Rose, who was voted in as a starter. This was the first time since 1997 (when both
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
and Scottie Pippen made the team) that the Chicago Bulls had two All-Stars in the All-Star Game. Deng made a buzzer-beating game winner on 24 March 2012, off a tip-in basket to lift the Bulls 102–101 in overtime versus the Toronto Raptors. At the end of the season, Deng was selected for the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.


2012–13 season: Second All-Star season

Deng was selected as a reserve for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game, along with Joakim Noah. During the 2012–13 season, he averaged a team high 16.5 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, and a career high 3 assists per game. His free throw percentage of .816 was also a career high. He again led the league in minutes per game with (38.7). Even without Derrick Rose, who was out for the whole year due to an ACL injury, the Bulls still tallied a 45–37 record, finishing 5th in the Eastern Conference and 2nd in the Central Division. The Chicago Bulls met the
Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The ...
in the opening round of the (2013) Playoffs. The Bulls defeated the Nets in seven games and met the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
in the semi-finals. The Heat defeated the Bulls in five games. The Heat went on to win the (2013) NBA Finals. During the 2013 Playoffs, Deng averaged (13.8) points per game, (7.6) rebounds per game, and 3.8 assists per game in (44.8) minutes per game.


2013–14 season

Deng's representatives and Chicago Bulls executives had informal talks about extending his contract over the summer, but the team never made a formal offer. Deng, who would become a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who i ...
after the 2013–14 season, was seeking a contract close to $12 million a year over 4–5 seasons. Rumors about him being traded continued throughout the season. During the first months of the season, Deng again emerged as the Bulls leading scorer with the absence of
Derrick Rose Derrick Martell Rose (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the Memphis Tigers before being draft ...
. He had his best performances on 27 and 30 November, when he scored 27 points against the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
and the
Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...
in two separate games. He also registered 6 rebounds against the Pistons, and 11 assists against the Cavs. During the first two months of the season, Deng averaged a career-high of 19 points and (3.7) assists per game. He also averaged 6.9 rebounds per game.


Cleveland Cavaliers (2014)

On 7 January 2014, the Chicago Bulls traded Deng to the
Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...
for Andrew Bynum, two future second round draft picks in 2015 and 2016 (initially traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Cavaliers), a protected future pick the Cavaliers received from the Sacramento Kings, and the right to swap first round picks with the Cavaliers in the 2015 draft. At the time of the trade, Deng was the fifth-longest tenured
Chicago Bull The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
, and fourth-leading scorer in franchise history. In his Cavaliers debut, Deng had 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers in 21 minutes. Two games later, he scored 27 points with five rebounds, four assists, and one block. This was his highest scoring game with the Cavaliers. Deng finished the season averaging 14.1 points and 2.5 assists.


Miami Heat (2014–2016)

On 15 July 2014, Deng signed with the
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
. He had his best scoring game of the 2014–15 season on 20 January, when he scored 29 points against the
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Ea ...
. Deng finished the season averaging 14 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. On 29 June 2015, Deng exercised his player option for the 2015–16 season. On 1 August 2015, Deng played for Team Africa at the 2015 NBA Africa exhibition game. In late November and early December 2015, Deng missed six games with a left hamstring strain. On 19 February 2016, he scored a season-high 30 points in a 115–111 win over the Atlanta Hawks. The Heat finished the regular season as the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 48–34 record. In the first round of the playoffs, the Heat faced the sixth-seeded Charlotte Hornets, and in a Game 1 win on 17 April, Deng set a Heat playoff debut record with 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting.


Los Angeles Lakers (2016–2018)

On 7 July 2016, Deng signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
. The Lakers signed the two-time All-Star along with Timofey Mozgov to big contracts in a bid to remain competitive after
Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...
's recent retirement. However, in February 2017,
Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
became the Lakers' president of basketball operations, and coach
Luke Walton Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 10 seasons in the NBA as a f ...
benched Deng to start rookie Brandon Ingram. Effectively, Deng had played his last meaningful minutes as a Laker. He missed the final 22 games of the season after being shut down in March to give more playing time to the team's youngsters. On opening night of the 2017–18 season, Deng made a substitute start in place of a suspended
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Kentavious Tannell Caldwell-Pope (; born February 18, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named a McDonald's All-American as one of the top high school ...
; it was the only game he played the entire season. He and Walton mutually decided that it was better for him to stay in the locker room during games than to play meaningless minutes in garbage time. On September 1, 2018, he was waived by the Lakers after reaching a buyout agreement. The move freed him to find playing time elsewhere, while the Lakers gained salary cap space to potentially offer a maximum contract to a free agent in 2019. Deng had been the highest-paid Laker in each of his two seasons.


Minnesota Timberwolves (2018–2019)

On September 10, 2018, Deng signed with the
Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...
, reuniting him with
Derrick Rose Derrick Martell Rose (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the Memphis Tigers before being draft ...
, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, and head coach
Tom Thibodeau Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr. ( ; born January 17, 1958) is an American basketball coach who is the head coach for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an assistant coach for the United States men's national ...
. On February 11, 2019, Deng started in place of an ill Andrew Wiggins and scored 12 points in a team-high 37 minutes, 50 seconds against the
Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...
. It was Deng's first start since October 19, 2017, his lone game for the Lakers during the 2017–18 season. He would go on to sign a one day contract with the Bulls to retire with the team.


Citizenship and national team career

Since his birth in
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
, Deng has lived in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Deng represented England at Under-16 and Under-19 level, and was an ambassador for the London
2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, th ...
. In October 2006, Deng became a naturalised British citizen in a ceremony in
Croydon Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an exten ...
and was called up to play in European competition for the Great Britain team. He made his debut in a closed international test match against
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
in Pau, France, on 9 August 2007, scoring 19 points. In his first competitive qualifying game representing Great Britain, Deng collected 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks against
Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
, at
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
's
National Indoor Arena Arena Birmingham (known for sponsorship reasons as Utilita Arena Birmingham, and previously as The Barclaycard Arena and originally as the National Indoor Arena) is an indoor arena and sporting venue in central Birmingham, United Kingdom. It ...
on 21 August 2007. He played with the team at the
2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, th ...
, where he averaged 15.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. However, Great Britain finished with a 1–4 record. Deng retains South Sudanese citizenship in addition to his British citizenship, making him a dual citizen.


Post-playing career

On November 24, 2020, it was reported that Deng would coach the South Sudan national basketball team for the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers.


Personal life

Deng is involved in numerous charities, such as the UK children's charity School Home Support. He has been noted for his work on behalf of the
Lost Boys of Sudan The Lost Boys of Sudan refers to a group of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987–2005). Two million were killed and others were severely affected by t ...
and other refugees. During the summers of 2006 and 2007, Luol went to Africa, Asia and Europe with the NBA for their Basketball Without Borders Tour. He is also a spokesperson for the
World Food Programme The World Food Programme; it, Programma alimentare mondiale; es, Programa Mundial de Alimentos; ar, برنامج الأغذية العالمي, translit=barnamaj al'aghdhiat alealami; russian: Всемирная продовольствен� ...
. "He really does epitomize everything I had hoped for as a person and a basketball player", general manager John Paxson said. "I think it's one of the reasons we've gotten to the level we're at this year. I'm truly proud of him. I think the world of him as a person and as a player." He counts himself a fan of English Premier League side
Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club, commonly referred to as Arsenal, is a professional football club based in Islington, London, England. Arsenal plays in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The club has won 13 league titles (inclu ...
Deng is the cover athlete for '' NBA Live 09'' and ''
NBA Live 10 ''NBA Live 10'' is the 2009 installment in the ''NBA Live'' series, developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts. Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is the cover athlete. It was released in 2009 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, and i ...
'' video games in the UK. Deng's cousin,
Peter Jok Kacoul Dut "Peter" Jok (born 30 March 1994) is a Sudanese professional basketball player who last played for Cholet Basket of the French LNB Pro A. He played college basketball for the University of Iowa of the Big Ten Conference. A 6 ft 6 ...
, also plays professional basketball. Deng has been investing in real estate almost since the time he entered the league in 2004 and has amassed a large portfolio, including hotels, resorts, condos, and apartment buildings, worth $125 million. In 2020, Deng was included in the annual '' Powerlist'' as one of the most influential people in the UK of African/African-Caribbean descent. In November 2019, he was appointed for four years as president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation. Luol Deng is depicted on one of the Brixton Pound community currency notes. Deng was appointed
Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
(OBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to basketball.


Career statistics


NBA


Regular season

, - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 61 , , 45 , , 27.3 , , .434 , , .265 , , .741 , , 5.3 , , 2.2 , , .8 , , .4 , , 11.7 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 78 , , 56 , , 33.4 , , .463 , , .269 , , .750 , , 6.6 , , 1.9 , , .9 , , .6 , , 14.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 82 , , 82 , , 37.5 , , .517 , , .143 , , .777 , , 7.1 , , 2.5 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , 18.8 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 63 , , 59 , , 33.8 , , .479 , , .364 , , .770 , , 6.3 , , 2.5 , , .9 , , .5 , , 17.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 49 , , 46 , , 34.0 , , .448 , , .400 , , .796 , , 6.0 , , 1.9 , , 1.2 , , .5 , , 14.1 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 70 , , 69 , , 37.9 , , .466 , , .386 , , .764 , , 7.3 , , 2.0 , , .9 , , .9 , , 17.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 82 , , 82 , , 39.1 , , .460 , , .345 , , .750 , , 5.8 , , 2.8 , , 1.0 , , .6 , , 17.4 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 54 , , 54 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 39.4* , , .412 , , .367 , , .770 , , 6.5 , , 2.9 , , 1.0 , , .7 , , 15.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 75 , , 75 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 38.7* , , .426 , , .322 , , .816 , , 6.3 , , 3.0 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , 16.5 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 23 , , 23 , , 37.4 , , .452 , , .274 , , .815 , , 6.9 , , 3.7 , , 1.0 , , .2 , , 19.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...
, 40 , , 40 , , 33.8 , , .417 , , .315 , , .771 , , 5.1 , , 2.5 , , 1.0 , , .1 , , 14.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 72 , , 72 , , 33.6 , , .469 , , .355 , , .761 , , 5.2 , , 1.9 , , .9 , , .3 , , 14.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 74 , , 73 , , 32.4 , , .455 , , .344 , , .755 , , 6.0 , , 1.9 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 12.3 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, 56 , , 49 , , 26.5 , , .387 , , .309, , .730 , , 5.3 , , 1.3 , , .9 , , .4 , , 7.6 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, 1 , , 1 , , 13.0 , , .500 , , – , , – , , .0 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 2.0 , - , align="left" , , align="left" ,
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...
, 22 , , 2 , , 17.8 , , .500 , , .318 , , .714 , , 3.3 , , .8 , , .7 , , .4 , , 7.1 , - , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 902 , , 828 , , 34.3 , , .456 , , .332 , , .769 , , 6.1 , , 2.3 , , 1.0 , , .5 , , 14.8 , - , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 2 , , 0 , , 11.5 , , .333 , , .200 , , 1.000 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 5.0


Playoffs

, - , align="left" ,
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
, align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 6 , , 0 , , 30.0 , , .429 , , .200 , , .571 , , 4.8 , , .5 , , .8 , , .7 , , 10.2 , - , align="left" ,
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
, align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 10 , , 10 , , 41.0 , , .524 , , .000 , , .807 , , 8.7 , , 2.4 , , 1.0 , , .7 , , 22.2 , - , align="left" ,
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 40.6 , , .463 , , .083 , , .731 , , 5.0 , , 1.4 , , 1.2 , , .8 , , 18.8 , - , align="left" ,
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...
, align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 16 , , 16 , , 42.9 , , .426 , , .324 , , .839 , , 6.6 , , 2.7 , , 1.5 , , .6 , , 16.9 , - , align="left" ,
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
, align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 6 , , 6 , , 38.0 , , .456 , , .364 , , .571 , , 8.3 , , 1.5 , , .8 , , 1.5 , , 14.0 , - , align="left" ,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, align="left" ,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 44.8 , , .381 , , .056 , , .400 , , 7.6 , , 3.8 , , 1.0 , , .6 , , 13.8 , - , align="left" ,
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...
, align="left" ,
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 14 , , 14 , , 35.4 , , .471 , , .421 , , .842 , , 5.9 , , 1.6 , , .9 , , .6 , , 13.3 , - , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 62 , , 56 , , 39.1 , , .455 , , .311 , , .765 , , 7.0 , , 6.7 , , 1.1 , , .7 , , 15.9


College

, - , style="text-align:left;", 2003–04 , style="text-align:left;",
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...
, 37 , , 32 , , 31.1 , , .476 , , .360 , , .710 , , 6.9 , , 1.8 , , 1.3 , , 1.1 , , 15.1


See also

*
List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders In basketball, minutes of game time during which a player is on the court are recorded. The minutes played statistics are recorded as far back as the 1951–52 season when statistics on minutes were first compiled by the National Basketball As ...
*
List of European basketball players in the United States This is a list of European basketball players who have played in the United States at either professional or NCAA Division I level. It is intended to include players who are currently active, whether inside or outside the U.S., and former player ...


References


External links

*
Duke profile

Great Britain Basketball Profile




{{DEFAULTSORT:Deng, Luol 1985 births Living people Basketball players at the 2012 Summer Olympics Black British sportsmen Blair Academy alumni British men's basketball players South Sudanese refugees British expatriate basketball people in the United States Chicago Bulls players Cleveland Cavaliers players Dinka people Duke Blue Devils men's basketball players People from Brixton Los Angeles Lakers players McDonald's High School All-Americans Miami Heat players Minnesota Timberwolves players National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association players from the United Kingdom Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom Olympic basketball players of Great Britain Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) People from South Norwood Phoenix Suns draft picks Small forwards South Sudanese emigrants to the United Kingdom South Sudanese expatriate basketball people in the United States South Sudanese men's basketball players Officers of the Order of the British Empire Refugees in Egypt People from Western Bahr el Ghazal