Every time the Olympics roll around, one nation's team or specific athlete captures the hearts of sports fans around the world. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, that has been the South Sudan men's national basketball team. As a country, South Sudan is only 13 years old, as they were officially recognized as an independent country in 2011.
Despite their young existence, the country's basketball team has quickly made a name for themselves. Just a few years ago they were a non-factor in international play, but the team qualified for the Olympics after establishing themselves as the best team in Africa during the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Now, South Sudan is playing at the top basketball stage in the world in the Olympics, and they are even giving teams a run for their money.
Former NBA player Luol Deng is the mastermind being South Sudan's success. He is the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation and an assistant coach for the national team. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at Deng and his journey with basketball in South Sudan.
Who is Luol Deng?
Luol Deng has reemerged onto the basketball scene during the Paris Olympics, but he has long been an important figure in the sport. His basketball journey started long before he became a household name in basketball, though. Deng is originally from Wau, Sudan, which is now a part of South Sudan.
He grew up during the Second Sudanese Civil War, and because of this, his family moved to Egypt. Deng's basketball knowledge was limited, but he met Manute Bol, an NBA legend and a fellow member of the Dinka ethnic group. Bol trained Luol and his brother, Ajou Deng in the sport of basketball. Although Sudan wasn't known for basketball at this time, it was a country which had one of the tallest populations in the world.
Eventually, Deng's family immigrated to London, England. There, Deng would become one of the best amateur basketball players in England. Basketball became a clear career path for the talented South Sudanese player, so he moved to New Jersey at the age of 14 to further pursue the sport.
Deng, who stood 6-foot-8, would become the number two ranked high school player in the sport. He only trailed the best NBA prospect ever (LeBron James) on that list, and he was directly ranked above his high school teammate, Charlie Villanueva.
Luol Deng's basketball career
After his stellar amateur career, Deng was awarded a scholarship at Duke, arguably the most prestigious collegiate basketball program in the nation. Deng played the 2003-04 season with the Blue Devils, and he helped the team go on a memorable run. That year, the team had six future NBA players on the team, and they made a run all the way to the Final Four.
The team was led by JJ Redick, one of the greatest (and most notorious) collegiate basketball players ever and arguably the most important college player this century. Deng provided the team with a three-and-D role. He shot 36% from deep and was one of the best defensive players in the nation. Duke only lost in the Final Four to the eventual champion UConn Huskies, a team that went down as one of the most legendary college teams ever and a team that helped establish a dynasty for decades to come.
Deng went the one-and-done route and declared for the 2004 NBA Draft. There, he was picked seventh overall in the first round by the Phoenix Suns, but the team immediately traded him to the Chicago Bulls. Chicago was only years removed from the retirement of NBA GOAT Michael Jordan, and Deng was viewed as a player who could help fill his shoes, at least defensively.
Obviously no one is Jordan, but Deng did become one of the best defensive players in the NBA immediately. He finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 11.7 points per game, and he eventually averaged double digit scoring figures for 12 straight seasons.
Deng's first nine and a half seasons in the NBA came with the Bulls. There, he was voted to two All-Star Games. The small forward teamed up with memorable players in Chicago, including Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.
In 2014, the Bulls traded Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After the season, Deng signed with the Miami Heat, and he finished out his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves before retiring after the 2019 season.
Luol Deng's impact on South Sudan basketball
South Sudan is still dealing with the aftereffects of a Civil War, and their basketball team is underfunded and inexperienced. That hasn't stopped them from becoming one of the best national teams in the world in a short period of time. Luol Deng is a big reason why South Sudan has found this sudden success.
The South Sudan Basketball Federation has existed as a FIBA member since 2003, but it wasn't until Deng took over as president after his NBA retirement in 2019 that the program took the next step forward. Deng would fund the program out of his own pocket from day one, improving the team's training facilities and resources.
He would also coach the team starting in 2020, including at the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers. Deng would eventually move into an assistant coaching role with the team, as Royal Ivey would take over as the head coach.
South Sudan, with a roster full of talented players, showed out at the FIBA World Cup in 2023, and they are now making a name for themselves in the Olympics. They'd give Team USA a battle in the exhibition games, as they only lost by one point because of a missed game-winner attempt. Now, they are 1-1 in the Olympics Group Phase.
South Sudan has a win over Puerto Rico, and their lone loss comes to the power house that is the United States. Wenyen Gabriel, Carlik Jones, and JT Thor are just a few of the noteworthy players on South Sudan's roster. Their next game in group play is against Serbia, another team who lost to Team USA.
South Sudan's loss to Team USA was just a setback. The team plays with the ultimate desire to win, and they have proven that they can beat anybody. Luol Deng is a big reason why. He has advanced the sport of basketball rapidly in his home country, and South Sudan will likely continue to be a threat in international play for years to come.
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