KIGALI (Rwanda) - The Executive Director of FIBA Africa Region, Alphonse Bile has praised the way former NBA All-Star, Luol Deng is dedicated to basketball in his native South Sudan.

Addressing members of the FIBA Media on the eve of the opening of the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 at Kigali Arena, the former Ivorian international player and coach noted that Deng's work is moving in the right direction for the youngest nation on the continent of Africa who are making their debut in Africa's flagship tournament. 

"PERSONALLY, I WANT TO APPLAUD WHAT LUOL DENG IS DOING WITH BASKETBALL IN SOUTH SUDAN, THOUGH HE IS STARTING TO GIVE BASKETBALL LIFE FROM THE TOP."- Alphonse Bile

Bile commended Deng for his efforts for his county and his undying love for the game.

"Personally I want to applaud what Luol Deng is doing with basketball in South Sudan, though he is starting to give basketball life from the top which, to me, is a welcome development as that will translate to younger players to show more interest in taking up the game as a career and see role models in some of the senior players," Bile said.

South Sudan qualified to this year's African Championship after finishing second in  Group D of the Qualifiers behind former African champions Nigeria and ahead of Mali.

Since his retirement from the NBA two years ago, Deng - who played for five NBA teams in a 15-year career - has been the president of South Sudan Basketball Federation since 2019. Deng served as the team's head coach in the Second Round of the Qualifiers in February 2021. 

Coach Luol Deng is seen during the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers

Bile, a former president of Cote D'Ivoire Basketball Federation, however, noted that National Federations should have done more to attract some of their NBA players to this year's AfroBasket as FIBA Africa celebrate their 60th anniversary.

Although Senegal's Gorgui Dieng is the only active NBA player in the tournament, there's a number of former NBA players in the Kigali showdown, including Walter Tavares of Cape Verde, Tunisia's Salah Mejri, and Cote d'Ivoire Matt Costello while Uganda's Ishmail Wainright has recently his first NBA contract with the Toronto Raptors.

Bile recalled that the NBA players bring more attraction to the competition.

FIBA