UK sez "Deng's gonna be like Mike"

I forget that Deng is from the UK and he's known there and increasingly admired.

Scotsman.com Sport - Top Stories - Deng's gonna be like Mike: "Deng's inaugural campaign brought him sufficient plaudits to earn a spot on the NBA's All-Rookie First Team, an honour which provided some consolation for the wrist injury which brought his participation to a premature close and saw him miss the Bulls' first play-off run since the departure of Michael Jordan. 'I never had an injury like that before where I had to sit out for a while. My rehab is going well. I'm back to playing now, since about three weeks ago. It was a tough spell, the longest I've ever been away from the game.'

Perversely though, it has had its plus points. 'When I got hurt, I had to start using my left hand so now it's stronger than it was before and I'm a better player as a result,' he reveals. 'It's something I've been telling the kids about - how unbelievable the things that you can do are, if you just stop doing only what you're already good at.'

As a role model, Deng fits the bill perfectly. While Nike has hinted at raising his profile still further, he is certain to be recruited as one of the faces of London 2012. Potentially, the UK could field a team in seven years time which could hold its own among the world's best. The Scottish pair of Kieron Achara and Robert Archibald will then be in their primes, while another Brixton prodigy, seven foot teenager Eric Boateng, will succeed Deng at Duke next month and is certain to join him in the NBA."