Quotes from Luol Deng

It is just a great honour to be representing Great Britain.

Earlier in my career, a lot of guys wanted individual numbers and to do well individually.

I've played with a lot of injuries.

I had this one teacher, and as I got older and translated things he used to say, it was racist and hatred stuff he was saying toward me and my brother.

Every single team that I've played for, every single person would tell you that I've given it everything every single day.

Egypt was tough without our parents. My brothers and sisters had to work day by day, and every time they collected a pay cheque, they brought it into the house and put it on the table. That's how we lived.

I wouldn't like to be invisible for a day. But if I was... I'd probably be up to no good.

I was very skilled at football at a young age in Egypt. I never played with a real ball. We used rolled-up socks or a balloon with a towel ducktaped to it, and we played on concrete in bare feet.

I always said if I didn't focus on basketball, then it would have been football. I was pretty good and was asked to go to England trials.

Men from my tribe in Sudan - the Dinka tribe - are very tall, so you could say I was born to play basketball.

I don't like sneaking up on people.

Because I was the youngest boy, I was always my mom's favorite - and my brothers were always tough on me.

In basketball, the legs are the most important part of your body. A lot of people think it's the upper body because you shoot with your arms, but your legs are always carrying you, so if you don't lift leg weights, your muscles will be easily fatigued.

I really didn't want to play basketball for the longest time, but I just wouldn't stop growing. But I always wanted to be a professional soccer player.

I remember when we were in Egypt as refugees. It was tough, but there was always hope - hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel.

I don't mind someone saying I'm not good enough. It hurts more when someone says you're faking an injury.

When you have a new coach, a couple new guys, and a young team, the frustrating part throughout the year is the up and down.

When I go out there, I try to do everything I can to win. That doesn't mean I have to score more than the other team; it may mean stopping the other team.

I think that my offense comes from what I do with my defense.

I've been in situations in my career where I've had slumps and struggles. I always stick with it and just keep working.

We had a court, and my brothers would play outdoors, with rims barely hanging in there.

Man, I hate vegetables.

Sometimes people take struggling on the court to an extreme level.

I'm not the same person on the court. I'm different when I'm off the court. Off the court, I don't need to be aggressive or anything.