Life After Deng

In November of 2002, Duke fans received the news that Luol Deng had committed to come to Durham to attend school & play basketball. Deng chose the Blue Devils after an intense recruiting battle between Duke, Missouri, Indiana, & Virginia. During the next year, as Blue Devils fans learned more about Luol Deng & his family, the expectations of Duke fans began to formulate based on stories which they read which compared Deng to past great Duke players such as Grant Hill, Shane Battier, & others. The expectations were that Deng would be a great ambassador for Duke University & it's basketball program, as well as a very talented basketball player. In an age when most of the best high school & college basketball were jumping to the NBA at the first hint that they would be selected in the first round of the draft, it was believed by many that Deng would be different. We read the stories of how his family placed a high value on education & how Deng's upbringing would make him immune from the current societal mentality, which emphasized getting it as quickly as possible. The Duke fanbase began to formulate an image in their minds which saw Deng as being the next great Duke player. He was supposed to stay at Duke until he earned his degree. His #2 jersey would be the next to hang from the rafter of Cameron when his career had ended. The anticipation was that Deng would be at Duke for, at least, three years & that he would follow in the footsteps of his hero, former Duke great Grant Hill, to an all-star NBA career. Like Hill, he would also lead the Duke basketball program to the zenith with one or two national championships before his work at Duke was done.

It was with the above backdrop that the 2003-2004 Duke basketball season began. Nothing ocurred during the season to change the expectations of Duke fans. Many believed that Deng was the true difference-maker for a Duke team which won another ACC Regular Season Championship & made another trip to the Final Four. Yes, Duke lost a heartbreaker to Connecticut in the national semifinals, but with Deng returning & another top-ranked recruiting class coming in next year, Duke fans were feeling good about the future of the basketball program. Those feelings were re-enforced when immediately following the loss in the Final Four, Deng matter-of-factly stated to the media that he would be back at Duke next season.

When reports first began circulating that Deng was considering making the jump to the NBA soon after the Final Four, reactions among the Duke nation were varied. Many felt that it was simply rumors. Afterall, hadn't Deng just stated that he was definitely coming back to Duke? Some felt that it was simply wishful thinking among the anti-Duke crowd. What better way to get Duke fans in an uproar than to spread rumors that their best player was not returning next season? Many simply refused to believe that Deng was even considering such a move. Wasn't this the same kid whose family has publicly expressed how much they value education? Surely this outstanding, well-spoken young man, who had not been raised in the "get rich quick" culture of America would not succumb to the temptations of the NBA. If the NBA was indeed what he had on his mind, why didn't he make the jump directly out of high school? To most Duke fans, it simply did not compute that Luol Deng was a serious candidate to leave Duke after only one year, in spite of all the mock drafts that showed him as likely being among the top 5 picks if he, in fact, decided to make the leap.

It was in this environment that the announcement was made in an article in the News & Observer that Deng was, indeed, entering his name into the draft but that he would not be hiring an agent, which would allow him the option to return to Duke if he is not pleased with his position in the draft. Reaction among Duke fans ran from one gamut to another. Many wished Deng well & understood that his hand was forced by the projections that had him among the top 5 potential picks in this year's NBA draft. Some felt that he was being disloyal to Duke & it's coaching staff. Others were upset that it was Deng's father who made the announcement, rather than Deng himself. Many fans of Duke rivals were openly rejoicing in the news that Duke's best player would be leaving for the NBA. It seemed that everyone had something to say about the issue, as evidenced by the many posts made in response to an online article published about the news of Deng's departure by The Chronicle, which is Duke's student newspaper.

Twenty-four hours have now passed since the news began to spread among the Duke fanbase that Deng was entering the NBA draft. Although he has decided not to hire an agent, that fact is likely remote, because it is highly doubtful that Deng will be back at Duke next year. No, he will not lead Duke to a national championship. No, his jersey will never hang from the rafters of Cameron. No, he will never be considered as one of the best of all-time at Duke. But these are all expectations that Duke fans put on Deng & obviously, are not expectations that he placed on himself. It is not fair to imply that he lied when he stated following the loss to Connecticut that he was returning next season. Most of us say things in heat of the moment situations which we are not able to follow through on later. He is not being disloyal to Duke by doing what he considers to be the best move for him to make at the present time & he does not owe Duke or it's fans anything whatsoever.

Yes, it is disappointing that Deng will never suit up in a Duke uniform again. Yes, it is disappointing that we will not be able to see his game progress from a tenative freshman to a confident all-american. But it is Deng's life to lead & it is his right to make decisions regarding that life which he feels are in his best interests. We can disagree with his decision & we can feel disappointment with his decision, but all Duke fans should support his decision & wish him luck in his pursuit of an NBA career.