LEEDS (Julio Chitunda's African Message) - Nine FIBA Basketball World African Qualifiers games under his belt was everything Majok Deng needed to become a regular and valuable addition to the high-flying South Sudan men's national team.

The 31-year-old forward first featured for the Bright Stars on July 22, 2022 during the World Cup African Qualifiers in Rwanda, and by August 26, 2023, Majok was making his FIBA Basketball World Cup debut against Puerto Rico.

Things have progressed quickly in recent times for Deng, but what comes next? 

I sat down with the 2,05m (6ft 9in) forward who shed light on his relatively young journey with a national team that as recently as last September ranked No. 1 in Africa according to the FIBA World Ranking presented by NIKE. 

Majok Deng (13) debuted for South Sudan in a 76-63 win against hosts Rwanda 

Deng will have a shot at making South Sudan's roster for the the 2024 Olympics, but, if he doesn't, there's always a chance we'll see him in action at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers in November.

But for now Deng is in Cairo chasing his first-ever Basketball Africa League title with Libyan champions Al Ahly Ly.

The following are excerpts from my conversation with Majok Deng. 

South Sudan have been drawn in Group C of the 2024 Olympics Men's Tournament alongside three-time Olympics defending champions US, Serbia and the winner of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament to be held in Puerto Rico.

MAJOK DENG - I look forward to playing in the Olympics. We are in a really tough pool but I back my brothers 100 percent. We are going to do everything possible to make the country proud, no matter who we play. The [preparation] process will start soon in June, and then we go from there. 

South Sudan finished 11-1 in the World Cup African Qualifiers 

At the 2023 World Cup, South Sudan clinched the only Olympic automatic qualifying ticket on offer for African teams.

MAJOK DENG - If [a few years ago] I said that I dreamt about being the number one team in Africa and qualified automatically to the Olympics I would be lying …It's not that I am doubting the talent that we have, but it's a great job by Luol [Deng] and the staff to put together a great team. It just shows how much we worked. And if you have the vision and the players to execute it, anything can happen. All that wouldn't have happened without the man upstairs. That's a blessing that he has for us. He gave us that and we just have to execute it.

2023 World Cup experience and what it meant to the country of South Sudan.

MAJOK DENG -  We knew it was bigger than us players. It was something bigger for the country, and we did a great job at that. We played for peace, we played for togetherness. We achieved that. We saw what it meant to the whole country.

Majok Deng averaged 10.4 points in five World Cup games

As the tournament [World Cup] was going on, we were getting updates on what was going back in Juba and the whole country. That just made you play harder. You do everything possible to represent it in the right way. Getting there and to qualify for the Olympics was something I thought I would never be part of. I am just grateful for the for the work they are putting in. I just look forward to the Olympics, for sure.

What it means to represent his native South Sudan at continental and world stage.

MAJOK DENG - It's always a blessing when you get to represent your country. To do all the qualifiers and do all the hard work to be able to make it to the World Cup it's a blessing. To be one of five teams from Africa to play in the world cup and to be able to qualify [to the Olympics] for the first time in the first attempt was an unbelievable achievement for the all the nation, not just the players. 

South Sudan fans

AfroBasket Qualifiers/AfroBasket

MAJOK DENG - The AfroBasket [Qualifiers] is after the Olympics. I have not played in it yet...I definitely look forward to it. To be called an [African] champion, that's something that is in the back of my mind.. All my teammates, they are thinking about that.. [For now] We don't want to think about that, it's too far ahead… We just want to focus on the Olympics because that’s what’s in front of us right now.  Once the Olympics is behind us, then we can focus on the AfroBasket.

Basketball Africa League 

MAJOK DENG - I came because Nuni [Omot] played here last year, and a lot of my team-mates on the national team played in the BAL before, and, I am a huge fan. To be part of it, it's a blessing. 

Julio Chitunda
FIBA

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