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South Sudan’s Basketball President Hits Back at Gilbert Arena and Paul Pierce Over Their Xenophobia and Ignorance
The South Sudan Basketball Federation's president responds to Paul Pierce & Gilbert Arenas' critical remarks on Sudanese basketball success. He called out Arenas and PP for their derogatory remarks.
Team USA has become a fan favorite for the 2024 Paris Olympics. With LeBron James leading the charge, the national team is poised to bring home the gold medal. However, it won't be easy, as South Sudan made that clear in a recent exhibition match.
After the game, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas made derogatory remarks about the Sudanese team, mocking the East African country for its lack of facilities and laughing at their struggles.
He wasn't alone; Paul Pierce also joined in with similar comments. Frustrated by the negativity, Luol Deng, president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation, recently addressed the issue with a detailed response.
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Luol Deng hits back at Gilbert Arenas and Paul Pierce
Luol Deng recently delivered a strong and poignant response to the derogatory and xenophobic comments made by Gilbert Arenas and Paul Pierce towards the South Sudanese national basketball team.
The disparaging remarks stemmed from an exhibition game where Team USA, led by former NBA player Wenyen Gabriel, faced off against South Sudan. Despite being massive underdogs according to bookies, the South Sudanese team put up a commendable fight against the star-studded American squad, a fact that seemed to trigger disrespectful comments from Arenas and Pierce.
Arenas went as far as referring to the South Sudanese players as ‘some Africans’ and members of the ‘Ahi Ahi tribe,’ showcasing a level of ignorance and disrespect that did not go unnoticed by the basketball community at large. He unnecessarily laughed at the player's condition just to applaud LeBron James and Team USA.
In response to the incendiary remarks, Luol Deng commended Pierce for retracting his words and issuing an apology, while expressing his disappointment towards Arenas for his lack of empathy and understanding. Deng labeled Arenas' comments as "disrespectful and cruel," highlighting the need for greater cultural sensitivity and respect within the sports world.
However, Deng was not alone. Wenyen Gabriel, a prominent figure in South Sudanese basketball, echoed Deng's sentiments by publicly endorsing his response and emphasizing the historic nature of South Sudan's participation in the Olympics.
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Paul Pierce earlier issued an apology to South Sudan team for his remarks
Paul Pierce, the former NBA All-Star, recently issued an apology after mocking the South Sudan basketball team on a recent episode of FS1's Undisputed. Pierce admitted to not having any knowledge about the team or their country before watching them play, and he expressed regret for his disrespectful comments.
Following South Sudan's impressive performance against Team USA, where they nearly pulled off an upset, Pierce recognized the talent and potential of the little-known basketball roster from East Africa. He publicly acknowledged his lack of awareness about South Sudan's basketball history and the contributions of players like Luol Deng and Manute Bol.
South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, gained independence from Sudan in 2011, and former NBA All-Star Luol Deng has been a key figure in the country's basketball development. Pierce, after doing some research over the weekend, expressed genuine remorse for his earlier remarks and pledged to pay more attention to South Sudan basketball in the future.
Previously, Pierce had made light of South Sudan's basketball team without understanding their background, but the team's strong showing against Team USA prompted him to reevaluate his stance.
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