Page 97 - Powerlist 2020

Luol Deng Sport

NBA player

He grew up in the midst of a civil war and was forced to flee
his country, Sudan, for Britain, but Luol still managed to
become one of the world’s most successful basketball stars.
After three seasons on a £55million deal with the LA Lakers,
the Sudanese-British player now plays for the Minnesota
Timberwolves.
Despite his childhood difficulties, Luol’s sporting talent
shone through, excelling in football and basketball from
an early age. Michael Jordan was his hero, and his dream
was to play in the NBA. In 1999, he left the UK for the US to
pursue that goal.
He attended the Blair Academy, where he was quickly
recognised as one of the most promising players. He then
attended Duke University and in the 2004 NBA draft was
picked seventh by the Phoenix Suns. He was traded to the
Chicago Bulls, the home of his hero Jordan.
In 2014, he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, then the Miami
Heat, before his big-money deal with the Lakers. At the time
of publication, Luol had played a remarkable 902 games in
the NBA.
Luol has been keen to share his success, and set up
Lewis Hamilton MBE a charity, the Luol Deng Foundation. The non-profit
organisation uses basketball as a tool to give hope to those
Formula 1 World Champion in Africa, the US and the UK.
He has also been keen to give back to his home country.
In 2015, his foundation built the Manute Bol Court in South
Lewis Hamilton is Britain’s most successful Grand Prix Sudan for children to play and learn the game.
driver of all time, with his five world titles equalling the In 2017, he hosted the DENG Camp USA, where he offered
record of the great Juan Fangio and second only to Michael intensive coaching to young and emerging basketball
Schumacher (seven). players of south Sudanese descent.
As we go to press, a sixth title in 2019 already looks like it’s As an investor, Luol is the founder and chairman of D3N9,
in the bag. Already in 2019, he has won races in Bahrain, a diversified private fund, investing in both public and
China, Spain, Monaco, France, England, Hungary and private markets, with holdings in real estate, private equity
Russia, his win at the British Grand Prix meant he became and venture capital.
the first driver in the sport’s history to to triumph in the race
six times.
Just before the 2018 German Grand Prix, it was reported
he signed a two-year contract with Mercedes, reported to be
worth up to £40 million, making him the highest-paid driver
in the history of Formula 1.
Lewis won his first world title in 2008 when he was just 23.
His victory made him the first black driver to win the title, as
well as the youngest driver ever to take the overall honours
in its then 48-year history.
Hamilton joined McLaren more than a decade ago, and
he drove for them alongside Fernando Alonso. He took to
the Formula 1 track for his debut season and gained six pole
positions and won four races. He got close – one point away
– from winning the world title.
A year later he was world champion. In 2015 he became
one of the few drivers in F1 history to win three world
championships, drawing level with his idol Ayrton Senna.
He stayed with McLaren until 2013 when he switched to
Mercedes. In 2009, he was awarded an MBE. Many have
asked why he hasn’t been knighted.
Off the track, Hamilton has a keen interest in fashion
and in September he unveiled his collaboration with
American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, who worked
with him to create his own line, TommyXLewis, which he
launched in Shanghai.

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