NBA: Ranking the 10 greatest Duke players in NBA history

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Ranking the 10 greatest Duke players in NBA history: 4. Luol Deng

While in recent years it has been common for basketball players to spend just one season in college before entering the NBA Draft, in 2004 it was unusual: players ready to make an immediate leap often went straight from high school, and those in college often stayed multiple years to build up their stock.

Luol Deng was one of the unique few who did go “one-and-done” in that era, even more unusual in that he did it playing for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke University. He averaged 15.1 points per game as a freshman and was taken seventh overall in the 2004 NBA Draft.

Deng proved he could score from the jump, averaging double digits out of the gate as a 19-year-old rookie and building to 18.8 points per game by his third year. He played the first 10 seasons of his career with the Chicago Bulls, averaging 16.1 points per game as an important wing player.

In addition to his offense, Deng was a strong defender, a strength that only got stronger when Tom Thibodeau came into town and deployed him in the best possible context. He became a two-time All-Star and made an All-Defensive Team playing for Thibodeau as the Bulls were a “second-tier” contender in the Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately for Luol Deng, many fans will remember him more for how his career ended than how it began and thrived. He faded from the league after signing a massive contract with the Lakers that he was unable to support as his body broke down, an ignominious end to a prolific career.