Luol Deng Retires From NBA
Luol Deng signed with the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, inking a one-day deal with the team that drafted him 15 years ago.
The former Duke Blue Devil then announced his retirement from the NBA ending a career that makes him one of the most successful former Duke pros in history.
Deng currently ranks in the top 10 among NBA Blue Devils in the 10 significant statistical counting categories: Games played, minutes, field goals made, three-pointers made, free throws made, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and points.
No other former Blue Devil ranks in the top 10 in all 10 categories. The closest are Elton Brand, Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Carlos Boozer, who are all in the top 10 in nine of them.
At the time of his retirement, Deng was the NBA Blue Devils active leader in seven categories. JJ Redick and Kyrie Irving had more threes. Irving had more assists, and Mason Plumlee had blocked more shots.
Deng is also the most successful Duke one-and-done in the NBA. The second Blue Devil to go pro after just one season in Durham, following Corey Maggette, Deng is the Duke one-and-done leader in eight categories.
Deng made two NBA All-Star teams, in 2012 and 2013. He’s one of just six Blue Devils to be named a multiple NBA All-Star, joining Irving, Grant Hill, Jeff Mullins, Jack Marin and Elton Brand.
He was named first-team NBA All-Rookie in 2004-05 and second-team All-Defense in 2011-12. He won the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2007 and the league’s citizenship award in 2014.
