Longtime Bulls forward Luol Deng has been named global ambassador to the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Deng was born in South Sudan and spent his childhood in Great Britain before playing basketball at Duke. He was drafted by the Bulls in 2004 and played in Chicago for 10 seasons, starting 591 games and averaging 16 points per game. He played 15 seasons in the NBA and was a two-time All-Star.
"We have a tremendous amount of talent in Africa and I am excited that some of that talent will be showcased through our new league," Deng said in a statement. "I look forward to following some of the top African club teams when the inaugural season gets underway next month and supporting the BAL in expanding its footprint around the world."
Deng has been active on social media championing refugee rights and basketball in South Sudan. He was named the South Sudan Basketball Federation president in 2019. The BAL is a joint effort of FIBA and the NBA. Twelve teams are scheduled to start their inaugural season in March.
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