Luol Deng may not be knocking down jumpers like he is accustomed to, however, the Chicago Bulls forward is grateful to be on a court after a series of medical setbacks during the Bulls playoff run this season.
Luol Deng forced to watch his Bulls from the sidelines after undergoing a spinal tap procedure.
Deng hasn’t played competitive ball in over two months, but the All-Star has taken it upon himself to get back out there, at this point, as a coach.
He’s been in Angola with Thunder forward Serge Ibaka as part of an NBA mission to grow the game in the continent of Africa.
I thank God everyday for giving me the chance to do this. #Blessed http://t.co/IFVHXTU8pz
— Luol Deng (@LuolDeng9) August 4, 2013
He also added a photo of the young players he coached over the weekend.
Luol Deng in a huddle with his team in Africa.
Deng had some unfortunate luck roll his way the past several months. From playing with a torn ligament and a fractured thumb in the latter part of the season, the Bulls were desperate to have their top defensive player in uniform for their series against the Brooklyn Nets.
Hours before tipoff in Game 6 between the Nets and Bulls, Deng announced he was unable to play due to a spinal tap procedure he had earlier in the day. That announcement quickly caused the forward to get ridiculed and his own coach to downplay his condition as “flu-like symptoms.”
Nevertheless, he was unable to play the remainder of the playoffs and has been resting his injuries since.
After a scary few weeks, he’s now healthier and on the road to recovery.
When it becomes a challenge to even walk, like it was for Deng, just being on the court is a gratifying feeling. Deng has always been one to appreciate what his talents have giving him in life, there’s no doubt he’ll appreciate returning to play even more.
I believe as great an impact as Luol has had on the NBA as a player,this will be eclipsed when he inevitably becomes a coach.