The nation of South Sudan does not have a single indoor basketball court. Yet, this Sunday marks a significant milestone as they prepare for their inaugural Olympic basketball match against Puerto Rico in Lille. This narrative is one of resilience, unity, and hope, deeply intertwined with an Australian connection.
Since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011 after a prolonged and brutal civil conflict, South Sudan has faced ongoing internal challenges. However, in 2019, a phone call to retired British-South Sudanese basketball legend Luol Deng presented an exciting opportunity. The South Sudanese government sought a leader for its fledgling basketball program, and Deng was the person they hoped would take on the role.
Since then, Deng, who fled South Sudan as a refugee at the tender age of five, has dedicated himself to establishing a formidable basketball presence in Africa. Initially, he faced numerous challenges: a lack of players, no basketball courts, an absent coaching staff, and funding all coming from his own pocket. Nevertheless, Deng held onto his vision of using basketball as a means to unify his new nation.
“All my life, the conversation has been about war,” Deng shared with the BBC, reflecting on his experiences. “Whether I was at school or playing in the NBA, it was always centered on ‘refugees due to war’ and ‘war-torn country.’ Now, we are establishing a new narrative.”
Financing his own salary, Deng rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He reached out to the basketball community, secured an initial coach (who was also unpaid at the time), and began scouting for players. Due to years of conflict, many South Sudanese refugees found themselves playing basketball around the globe, often representing other countries. Deng’s challenge was to inspire them to join his cause.
This is where the Australian connection comes into play. In Paris, South Sudan has become a favorite team for Australian supporters. Four of the 12 players on the squad compete in Australia’s National Basketball League: Bul Kuol, Jackson Makoi, Majok Deng, and Sunday Dech. Additionally, Kuany Kuany formerly played in Australia before heading to the United States for college. Thon Maker, an Australian player, had initially hoped to join the team but faced a late rejection of his eligibility.
Among those Deng’s coaching staff reached out to was promising NBL talent Kuol, who had been on the brink of joining an Australian national team camp. When he received the invitation via Instagram, his response was immediate. “It was a no-brainer for me,” he stated to Guardian Australia. “I would be honored to take part.”
For Kuol and many of his teammates, the chance to contribute to a homeland many had not visited in years was irresistible (Kuol was raised in the Kakuma refugee camp in north-west Kenya before moving to Australia at age nine).
“Australia is home – it’s my adopted home,” he emphasized. “It shapes my identity; it’s where I grew up, learned, and found opportunities. But South Sudan represents my roots, my family’s heritage, and my history.”
By assembling a team from diverse backgrounds, Deng’s initiative has started to thrive. South Sudan qualified for their first Fiba World Cup last year and, with a historic victory over the 11-time African champions Angola, secured their spot in Paris. Arriving at the Paris Olympics as the lowest-ranked team to qualify in two decades, this has inspired immense pride and joy among the citizens of Juba, who celebrated the team’s success following their World Cup achievement.
after newsletter promotion
“This has given the nation a sense of pride and unity,” expressed Kuol, a shooting guard/small forward for the Sydney Kings, who missed the World Cup due to an injury but was selected for participation in Paris. “It has united people despite the disparities and ongoing conflict.”
The team embarks on this tournament with momentum, having nearly defeated the defending champions, the United States, in a recent warm-up game that saw the Americans rally from a double-digit deficit to win by just one point. Yet, after this near upset, Coach Royal Ivey stated there were “no moral victories.” The two nations are set to clash again next week in Group C, followed by a match against Serbia to conclude their group stage.
Ahead of the Paris Olympics, the South Sudanese national team conducted a training camp in Rwanda due to the lack of facilities back home. However, Deng is currently overseeing the development of an indoor sporting complex in Juba, with ambitions to establish nine basketball courts in total. This marks the first Olympic appearance in basketball for South Sudan, and Deng is optimistic this is only the beginning: “It’s just the start,” he remarked recently.
