When Luol Deng joins his point guard, Derrick Rose -- and most likely his head coach, Tom Thibodeau -- in Orlando on Feb. 26 for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, it won't be the first time the Chicago Bulls small forward will play in showcase game that, for the most part, lacks much defense or organization.
In his first two seasons, Deng participated in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge, which, like the All-Star Game, features plenty of dunks and not much defense. As a first-year player in 2005, he scored a team-high-tying 17 points in a 133-106 loss to a Sophomore squad that included his current Bulls teammate, Kyle Korver, who was then a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. Deng had a couple of memorable moments in that game, which was held in Denver, including a sequence in which he knocked down a tough three-pointer from the left corner and then slammed home an alley-oop. A year later, the 6-foot-9 product poured in 10 points for the Sophomores, who were victorious, 106-96.
However, Deng is not sure how he will handle and approach his first All-Star Game. In many ways, the 26-year-old could very well find it similar to the Rookie-Sophomore games he played in. But he understands the All-Star stage will be big-time and that each player will look to put on a show for the fans.
How will the fundamentally sound Deng perform under those conditions? That remains to be seen. Although fortunately for Deng, he can receive plenty of advice from Rose, who last week was voted into the star-studded game by the fans as a starter.
"I think I'm going to talk to Derrick about that, honestly," Deng told reporters after Friday morning's shootaround, when asked about how he plans to prepare for the All-Star Game. "Since my rookie and my sophomore year, which is way different, I don't know what you're supposed to do. I don't know how it goes. It's the honest truth, I really don't know. I'll find out the schedule. Am I supposed to play D? I don't know. We'll see how it goes."
Given the way his eight-year career has gone, Deng, who is averaging 15.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists this season, was certainly ecstatic on Thursday night when he was named one of the seven Eastern Conference All-Star reserves. In fact, he was confident heading into the announcement that he would give the Bulls multiple All-Stars for the first time since 1997.
"It's a great honor. It's a great honor," Deng told the assembled media. "I'm really happy, it's good to see. I don't really have the words for it, except the fact that I'm really happy. I just want to go around and thank all of my teammates. Because of the way we're playing and the record we have is why I'm getting the opportunity.
"You get a certain feeling that you're going to make it. I had a feeling, I don't know why. I was still surprised to see it. You're sitting there, you're watching there, and you're relieved a little bit that you made it. But this year kind of felt different going into it. ... To be there, a lot of people will see it as your best year. That's just the way people see it because of the credit that you're getting. I'm having a great year; I feel like it's one of the best years I've had."
Filed under: Bulls News
Tags: Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, NBA All-Star Game, Tom Thibodeau
