Luol Deng

Luol Deng (born April 16, 1985) is a South Sudanese-British retired professional basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves. He was a two-time NBA All-Star (2012, 2013) and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2012.

Deng fled Sudan as a child refugee due to the Second Sudanese Civil War, eventually settling in Brixton, London. He gained prominence as a basketball player in the United Kingdom before moving to the United States to play high school basketball at Blair Academy in New Jersey. He then played college basketball for one season at Duke University.

Deng was drafted seventh overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2004 NBA draft, but was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. He spent the majority of his NBA career with the Bulls, becoming a key player and team leader. Following his time in Chicago, he played for several other teams before retiring in 2019.

Following his playing career, Deng has been involved in various philanthropic and business ventures. He has also served as the President of the South Sudan Basketball Federation, focusing on developing basketball in his home country. He was appointed as the head coach of the South Sudan national basketball team in 2020, leading them to qualify for the FIBA World Cup for the first time in 2023.