Ajou Deng

Ajou Deng
Personal information
Born	22 March 1978 (age 46); Wau, Sudan; (now South Sudan)
Nationality	Sudanese / British
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school	St. Thomas More; (Oakdale, Connecticut)
College	UConn (1999–2001); Fairfield (2001–2003);
NBA draft	2003: undrafted
Playing career	2004–2009
Position	Center
Coaching career	2020–present
Career history
2004–2005	Brighton Bears
2005	Scottish Rocks
2006	Guildford Heat
2007–2008	Guildford Heat
2008	Slavia Tu Kosice
2008–2009	London Capital
Career highlights and awards
	Third-team Parade All-American (1998);

Ajou Deng (born 22 March 1978) is a Sudanese-British retired professional basketball player and current coach. He is the son of Aldo Deng, a former Sudanese politician and is the brother of former NBA player Luol Deng.^[1]^[2]^[3]

College basketball[edit]

The 6’11" center played his university basketball in Connecticut with the Fairfield Stags from 2001 through 2003 after two years playing for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 1999 to 2001. While playing basketball for the Uconn Huskies, his nickname was "Juice." ^[4] His career was known for not measuring up to the tremendous amount of hype that preceded his arrival at the Huskies. College basketball analysts like Billy Packer and Dick Vitale once predicted that he could be the best player ever there.^{[citation needed]}

Professional basketball[edit]

After graduating from Fairfield, Deng returned to Great Britain, where his family had been granted asylum, and joined the professional team Brighton Bears for the 2004-05 season. In 37 games Deng scored 428 points, an average of 11.57 per game, and averaged nearly 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He started the following season with the Scottish Rocks before joining the Guildford Heat.

He played 37 games during the 2005-06 season, scored 398 points – an average of 10.76 per game – and had 6.43 rebounds and one block per game. Deng was named BBL player of the month in March 2006 and was a BBL All-Star that year as well. He won a BBL Cup winner’s medal with Brighton his first year as a professional.

Deng sat out the 2006-07 season with an ankle injury. He underwent treatment in Chicago, United States, where he stayed with his brother, Luol Deng, a forward for the Chicago Bulls of the NBA. Deng returned to the Heat on 7 December 2007 to replace Carlton Aaron, who had recently been cut by the team.

Deng left the Guildford Heat in February 2008 before the BBL Trophy Final to join Slavia Tu Kosice in Slovakia.

Coaching career[edit]

In 2020, Deng was the head coach of the South Sudan national basketball team.^[5]

References[edit]

^ "One of the most talented players to ever come out of the UK - with Ajou Deng - Ep. 69". Hoopsfix.com. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
^ "South Sudan coach Deng: We want to make things right". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
^ Onyango, Philip (17 January 2020). "South Sudan: Ex-NBA Star Foots Bill for South Sudan". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
^ "Huskies get 17 from Mouring". Hartford Courant. 15 February 2000. p. 159.
^ "South Sudan coach Deng: We want to make things right". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 28 August 2021.

External links[edit]

[1] "One of the most talented players to ever come out of the UK - with Ajou Deng - Ep. 69". Hoopsfix.com. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2021.

[2] "South Sudan coach Deng: We want to make things right". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 10 February 2021.

[3] Onyango, Philip (17 January 2020). "South Sudan: Ex-NBA Star Foots Bill for South Sudan". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 10 February 2021.

[4] "Huskies get 17 from Mouring". Hartford Courant. 15 February 2000. p. 159.

[5] "South Sudan coach Deng: We want to make things right". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 28 August 2021.

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