Ajou Deng
Encyclopedia
Ajou Ajou Deng is a British-South Sudanese professional basketball
player. He is the son of Aldo Deng
, a former Sudanese politician and is the brother of Luol Deng
, an NBA player who is also his teammate on Great Britain's national team
.
played his university basketball in Connecticut
with the Fairfield
Stags
from 2001 through 2003 after two years playing for the UConn Huskies
from 1999 through 2001. His career was known for not measuring up to the tremendous amount of hype that preceded his arrival at UCONN. College Basketball analysts like Billy Packer and Dick Vitale once predicted that he could be the best player ever at UCONN. He never came close to reaching these lofty goals.
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
, USA, where he stayed with his brother, Luol Deng
, a forward for the Chicago Bulls
of the NBA. Deng returned to the Heat on Dec. 7, 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 of Slovakia.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He is the son of Aldo Deng
Aldo Deng
Aldo Deng is a former Sudanese politician and father of several professional basketball players.A Christian and a member of the Dinka, Deng was elected to the Sudanese parliament in 1967...
, a former Sudanese politician and is the brother of Luol Deng
Luol Deng
Luol Deng is a South Sudanese-British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls and the Great Britain national basketball team. He plays the small forward position.-Early life:...
, an NBA player who is also his teammate on Great Britain's national team
Great Britain national basketball team
The Great Britain men's national basketball team, known as Great Britain or GB, is the national team for Great Britain in basketball...
.
College Basketball
The 6’11” centerCenter (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
played his university basketball in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
with the Fairfield
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
Stags
Fairfield Stags
The Fairfield Stags are the athletic programs representing Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Most of the programs are members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and classified as Division I-AAA in the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
from 2001 through 2003 after two years playing for the UConn Huskies
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
from 1999 through 2001. His career was known for not measuring up to the tremendous amount of hype that preceded his arrival at UCONN. College Basketball analysts like Billy Packer and Dick Vitale once predicted that he could be the best player ever at UCONN. He never came close to reaching these lofty goals.
Professional Basketball
After graduating from Fairfield, Deng returned to Great Britain, where his family had been granted asylum, and joined pro outfit Brighton BearsBrighton Bears
Brighton Bears was a British basketball team based in Brighton, Sussex. From 1984 to 1999 the club was known as the Worthing Bears and was based in the town of Worthing, 12 miles west of Brighton. The Bears played in the top-flight British Basketball League until 2006 when the franchise folded...
for the 2004-05 season
British Basketball League 2004-05
The 2004-2005 season was the 18th campaign in the history of the British Basketball League, which commenced on October 2, 2004, and ended with Newcastle Eagles' win in the Play-off Final on May 1, 2005...
. 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
Scottish Rocks
The Glasgow Rocks is a basketball team which competes in the British Basketball League. Formerly known as Scottish Rocks and also Edinburgh Rocks, they are one of the leading franchises in the top-tier league, and the only team to be based outside of England, playing at the Kelvin Hall...
before joining the Guildford Heat.
He played 37 games during the 2005-06 season
British Basketball League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the 19th season of the British Basketball League, which ran from September 23, 2005 through to April 11, 2006. The season started earlier than usual because of England's participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which took place during the regular season.Eleven teams took...
, 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
BBL Cup
The BBL Cup is one of two peripheral competitions operated by the British Basketball League during the regular season, the other being the BBL Trophy...
winner’s medal with Brighton his first year as a professional.
Deng sat out the 2006-07 season
British Basketball League 2006-07
The 2006-07 season, the 20th since its establishment of the British Basketball League, started on September 29, 2006 when reigning champions Newcastle Eagles began with a 85-83 loss away to Sheffield Sharks....
with an ankle injury. He underwent treatment in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, USA, where he stayed with his brother, Luol Deng
Luol Deng
Luol Deng is a South Sudanese-British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls and the Great Britain national basketball team. He plays the small forward position.-Early life:...
, a forward for the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
of the NBA. Deng returned to the Heat on Dec. 7, 2007 to replace Carlton Aaron
Carlton Aaron
Carlton Aaron is an American professional basketball player who most recently was signed to the Guildford Heat in the British Basketball League....
, 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 of Slovakia.
Career history
- 2008-date
Slavia Tu Kosice - 2007-2008 Guildford HeatGuildford HeatGuildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year...
- 2006 Guildford HeatGuildford HeatGuildford Heat is a basketball club based in Guildford, England that currently play in the British Basketball League. Heat play their home games at the brand-new Surrey Sports Park and was formed in 2005 by fans of former BBL franchise Thames Valley Tigers, who folded during the same year...
- 2005 Scottish RocksScottish RocksThe Glasgow Rocks is a basketball team which competes in the British Basketball League. Formerly known as Scottish Rocks and also Edinburgh Rocks, they are one of the leading franchises in the top-tier league, and the only team to be based outside of England, playing at the Kelvin Hall...
- 2004-2005 Brighton BearsBrighton BearsBrighton Bears was a British basketball team based in Brighton, Sussex. From 1984 to 1999 the club was known as the Worthing Bears and was based in the town of Worthing, 12 miles west of Brighton. The Bears played in the top-flight British Basketball League until 2006 when the franchise folded...
- 2001-2003
Fairfield StagsFairfield StagsThe Fairfield Stags are the athletic programs representing Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Most of the programs are members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and classified as Division I-AAA in the National Collegiate Athletic Association... - 1998-2001 Connecticut HuskiesConnecticut HuskiesThe Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...