Luol Deng

Luol Deng (born April 16, 1985 in Wow, Sudan|Wow,
Sudan) is a professional basketball player in the
National Basketball Association|NBA. In 2003, Deng
was widely considered to be the second most
promising player among U.S. high school seniors,
after only LeBron James. He attended Blair Academy
in New Jersey, along with Charlie Villanueva,
another NBA draftee.  Deng opted to play one
season of college basketball for Duke University,
after which he was chosen seventh overall in the
2004 NBA Draft. The pick was made by the Phoenix
Suns, but Deng was immediately traded to the
Chicago Bulls as part of a previous arrangement.
In Chicago, he wears number 9 and plays the
shooting guard and small forward positions. Deng
suffered a season-ending wrist injury late in his
rookie season but still made the NBA All-Rookie
First Team. Considered a prototypical small
forward, Deng's physical attributes and
understanding of the game promise him a bright
future.

Deng was born in Sudan, and has since lived in
Egypt, the United Kingdom|UK, as well as the
United States.

==Trivia==

Deng's older brother was taught to play basketball
by NBA legend Manute Bol. Bol, also a native of
Sudan, has been a mentor to Deng throughout his
professional career.

Deng reportedly grew an inch (to 6'9") between his
first and second seasons in the NBA.