Luol Deng

Luol Deng was a versatile swingman and lauded for his defensive intensity throughout his NBA career. Deng gained stardom in the league, playing the first decade of his career with the Chicago Bulls and being selected to two All-Star teams.  He helped the Bulls reach the postseason six times, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011.  Deng was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 and that following offseason signed with the Miami Heat.  Following two years with the Heat, he went on to play two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and his final campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves before retiring in 2019. Deng was originally the seventh pick of 2004 NBA Draft out of Duke.  He played one season for the Blue Devils, averaging 15.1 points per game and leading them to the Final Four.   The journey he took to becoming an internationally known basketball star is inspiring.  Deng’s family fled war-torn Sudan and settled in the United Kingdom.  Never forgetting his roots, he contributes to many charities like the Lost Boys of Sudan and the World Food Programme.  His own foundation teaches through basketball and helps unite local communities.  For his activism, Deng has been recognized many times, including with the NBA Man of the Year Award in 2007 and the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2014.