This summer, Luol Deng will be the face of British basketball.
The Olympics are coming to London and that means Great Britain got a spot in the Olympic basketball tournament along with powers like the United States and Spain. Deng is going to be out in front of that parade.
Which means the potential wrist surgery he needs will be put off. He hasn’t settled on having the surgery, however, he tells K.J. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.Deng said Thursday he remains committed to the Olympics, where he will be the face of the British national team. Deng added he hasn’t decided on surgery but that it remains an option.
Deng did say he is more accustomed to playing with the injury now after initially struggling with the pain and limitations it placed on his game. Deng has been driving more and dribbling with his left hand, two things he mostly avoided when he first came back Feb. 4.
With the injury to Derrick Rose, Deng may get more time off between the end of the regular season and the Olympics than originally thought. That’s a little more rest for the wrist.
But if he does opt for surgery in August after the games he will miss the start of the season. Both he and Rose would be out. Which would make the start of next season interesting in Chicago.