{"id":87252,"date":"2024-07-24T19:27:30","date_gmt":"2024-07-24T23:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=87252"},"modified":"2024-07-24T19:27:30","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T23:27:30","slug":"paris-olympics-south-sudan-basketball-president-hits-nba-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/07\/24\/paris-olympics-south-sudan-basketball-president-hits-nba-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Paris Olympics: South Sudan Basketball President Hits NBA Back"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On Wednesday, South Sudan Basketball Federation president Luol Deng addressed the uninformed comments made about his team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI normally don&#8217;t pay attention to these type of comments,\u201d Deng writes on Instagram (h\/t Basketball On X), \u201cbut as an African, a leader in my community, and the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation, I feel it is important to respond. This is for those who have asked about these comments, those who are offended by them, and everyone who has followed our story.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">South Sudan Basketball Federation\u2019s President Luol Deng responds to Paul Pierce and Gilbert Arenas\u2019 comments about South Sudan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not upset or angry at these ignorant remarks made by my former colleagues; I was more disappointed to see them coming from two individuals I\u2026 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/kWOZ6SKdSo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/kWOZ6SKdSo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 BASKETBALL ON \ud835\udd4f (@BASKETBALLonX) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BASKETBALLonX\/status\/1816164893655195984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 24, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m not upset or angry at these ignorant remarks made by my former colleagues,\u201d the 15-year NBA veteran continues. \u201cI was more disappointed to see them coming from two individuals I&#8217;ve always respected.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>South Sudan Basketball President Luol Deng Hits NBA Back<\/h2>\n<h3>Paul Pierce<\/h3>\n<p>Deng addresses the comments made by former Boston Celtics star <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/piercpa01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paul Pierce<\/a> first.<\/p>\n<p>Now a middle-aged man at 46, Pierce\u2019s youthful spirit is the source of his charisma. However, his hubris has been off-putting. Claims of being better than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wadedw01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dwyane Wade<\/a> or that he pushed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LeBron James<\/a>\u2019s career forward quickly lead to eye-rolling. The difference is that those comments aren\u2019t deep or potentially hurtful.<\/p>\n<p>When Pierce said that he\u2019ll give Undisputed co-host Skip Bayless a 30-point spread in Team USA\u2019s matchup versus South Sudan and that they \u201cprobably ain\u2019t got nobody over (6-foot-3)\u201d it obviously was intended as a joke.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">A very condescending take here from Paul Pierce on South Sudan \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddf8 who face the USA tonight in a friendly game.<\/p>\n<p>He doesn\u2019t think there is a player who\u2019s 6ft3in! Meanwhile, the tallest ever player in the NBA &#8211; Manute Bol was from South Sudan at 7ft7in! \ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffe\u200d\u2640\ufe0f<a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HI8bZhjZ5s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/HI8bZhjZ5s<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UsherKomugisha\/status\/1814654476843639253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 20, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, it displayed a level of ignorance, particularly as a Black man. Many Black Americans may feel disconnected from their distant cousins in Africa. After centuries of separation, there are certainly significant differences between the cultures. Still, solidarity with the African diaspora has been a part of the ongoing civil rights movement and many Black Americans are raised to lionize such ideologies.<\/p>\n<p>As Deng says, \u201cmany Africans and Black people who embrace their African heritage are working hard to bring all Black people closer.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe comments made by Paul Pierce showed misinformation and a lack of research. However, he used it as a teachable moment to shed positivity once he was informed. Thank you to Paul Pierce for apologizing, that I can respect.<\/p>\n<p>Growing up, I heard many similar comments, and those very remarks are some of the things that motivated me to change the narrative. Africans now show solidarity and support for each other more than ever. Moments like this are not for us to get upset and lash out. Many Africans and Black people who embrace their African heritage are working hard to bring all Black people closer by educating and sharing stories and historic moments, teaching that we have much more in common than differences.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>To his credit, Pierce apologized a couple of days later. \u201cI\u2019d like to offer an apology for the disrespect that I\u2019ve given them not knowing their team or their country,\u201d the Hall of Famer said on Undisputed.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">.<a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/paulpierce34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@PaulPierce34<\/a> gives all his respect to South Sudan after scaring Team USA<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey have pride and showed me a seismic shift in International play.\u201d <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aECSk3Inea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/aECSk3Inea<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/undisputed\/status\/1815395792880062650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 22, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Gilbert Arenas<\/h3>\n<p>Deng took much more of an issue with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/arenagi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gilbert Arenas<\/a>\u2019s incendiary comments.<\/p>\n<p>Arenas\u2019s xenophobia <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/05\/11\/gilbert-arenas-rips-nikola-jokic-yet-again\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">is clearly no schtick<\/a>, with the 42-year-old speaking condescendingly about a number of foreign nations. The habitual line-stepper\u2019s comments about South Sudan\u2019s basketball team \u2014and Africans in general \u2014were particularly distasteful though.<\/p>\n<p>After Team USA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/07\/22\/paris-olympics-thon-maker-looking-to-join-south-sudan\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">narrow exhibition win<\/a> over South Sudan, Arenas insinuated that they \u201calmost lost to some Africans\u2026 We almost lost to the Ahi-Ahi tribe.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Gilbert Arenas on Team USA&#8217;s win over South Sudan:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Embiid over there throwing the game for his cousins. We not supposed to be losing to Air Up There or the Cool Runnings team&#8230;They shooting on peach baskets in dirt with no shoes.&#8221; <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cY8sBO37hx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/cY8sBO37hx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ballislife\/status\/1815431919653294421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 22, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is crazy, man Embiid over there, throwing the game for his cousins and s***,\u201d he chided childishly. Team USA center Joel Embiid is a native Cameroonian who moved to the United States when he was 16.<\/p>\n<p>As an African-American speaking about an African nation and an African-American-dominated Team USA roster, Arenas\u2019s comments were uneducated. Those type of derogatory remarks could also deeply affect the youth. Again, Deng is on point with his summation, saying: \u201dthose who are easily misled may make comments that reflect self-hate more than pride.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cAs for Gilbert&#8217;s comments, they were certainly more disrespectful and cruel. Personally, I don&#8217;t care much. I would never trade places with anyone; being African is special.<\/p>\n<p>However, for young African and African American kids who admire and listen to Gilbert, these comments can make you think less of yourself and make the rest of the world think less of Africans. Those who are easily misled may make comments that reflect self-hate more than pride. There is nothing about our history that we should run away from.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI actually want to thank both of them for giving us this platform to respond and inform others,\u201d Deng says. \u201cWe\u2019ve worked very hard in the last four years to be here\u2026 We can&#8217;t allow mere seconds to take that away. Instead, let&#8217;s appreciate the moment and use these comments as an opportunity to educate. Being loved is always better than being tolerated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With one final message, the former refugee turned national hero says \u201cif we as a people realized the greatness from which we came we would be less likely to disrespect ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Wednesday, South Sudan Basketball Federation president Luol Deng addressed the uninformed comments made about his team. \u201cI normally don&#8217;t pay attention to these type of comments,\u201d Deng writes on Instagram (h\/t Basketball On X), \u201cbut as an African, a leader in my community, and the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation, I feel [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5008,"featured_media":87280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[60,1608,62,3],"tags":[1944,316,1052,361,49373,2081],"class_list":["post-87252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-olympics","category-basketball","category-nba","category-news","tag-gilbert-arenas","tag-luol-deng","tag-olympics","tag-paul-pierce","tag-south-sudan-basketball","tag-team-usa"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5008"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87252"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87252\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/87280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}