Former NBA star Luol Deng credited as the 'heart and soul' of South Sudan's Cinderella story at the Basketball World Cup.
Luol Deng played for 15 years in the NBA including stints with Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers
Head coach Royal Ivey says all praise goes to Deng, who is president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation : "[Deng] had a great vision and it all came together."The defeat by Serbia leaves South Sudan battling for classification for positions 17-32. Deng is one of the biggest names to come out of South Sudan, featuring for Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers in an illustrious NBA career.
"South Sudan's greatest natural resource is its youth, and sport is a proven way to engage, develop and inspire hope in our young people. Basketball is us, as a nation, getting our foot in the door."The crowning achievement of beating 10-time champions China, a first win for South Sudan at a basketball World Cup, will forever frame South Sudan's progress.
"They were resilient, persistent, they had laser-like focus, they followed the game plan and competed at the highest level," said Ivey heaping praise on the team's effort.
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