2023 Basketball World Cup qualifiers: Kuany Ngor Kuany reveals South Sudan's secrets
Kuany Ngor Kuany reveals South Sudan's secrets. In his view, Luol Deng is the chief architect of the team's meteoric rise.
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Impressive across the four qualifying windows for the 2023 Basketball World Cup, including two wins over African champions Tunisia, South Sudan top their group. They need just one win from their three games this weekend to secure qualification. It is a remarkable feat for a nation scarred by civil wars and independent only since 2011. Team captain Kuany Ngor Kuany shares the secrets of South Sudan's meteoric rise on the court. "Luol Deng's leadership as president of the South Sudan basketball federation is one of the main reasons for our rapid progress. His commitment on and off the court is exemplary," said the 28-year-old in an interview published on the FIBA website.
"Luol Deng rose to the challenge of bringing us together," says Kuany Ngor Kuany
"South Sudan has always had plenty of players all over the world, in professional or college leagues. But we did not have the resources, the organisational capacity and the leadership needed to pull all our strengths together to reach our goals. Luol Deng managed to meet that challenge and bring us all together," Kuany Ngor Kuany added.
"From the moment he took office, the federation changed direction, and it was with a fresh approach that our team started the FIBA Africa Zone 5 qualifiers in Nairobi in January 2020. I was lucky enough to be one of the 12 players selected to represent our country, and on that occasion we were able to show that we had what it takes to achieve great things," continued the basketball player, who plays in Finland.
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Born in Wau, South Sudan, on 16 April 1985, Luol Deng grew up in Great Britain as a refugee. Drafted 7th by the Bulls in 2004, he was one of the leaders of the legendary Chicago franchise for almost a decade. After leaving the NBA in 2019, he took charge of his country's national team, first as a member of the technical staff and then as president of the federation.
Since then, South Sudan have been climbing the ranks quickly. After qualifying for a continental tournament for the first time at AfroBasket 2021, they are on the verge of securing their first World Cup qualification.