Luol Deng named ambassador for Basketball Africa League

Former NBA All-Star Luol Deng was named global ambassador for the Basketball Africa League on Wednesday.

"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 was born in South Sudan but moved to Great Britain as a child. He played college basketball at Duke before becoming the seventh pick in the NBA draft in 2004. He played a decade with the Chicago Bulls and was a two-time All-Star. He played 15 seasons in the league overall and finished with averages of 14.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Deng, 34, also played for Great Britain in the Olympics and captained Team Africa in the NBA Africa Games twice. 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.