Deng brings basketful of skill but not the crowds

The glitz of the Chicago Bulls NBA showman was unmistakable, yet an even deeper impact was felt on the scoreboard.

Deng, a child refugee from the Sudan who settled in south London with his family from the age of eight, has set himself the goal of leading his nation to the 2012 Olympics.

The mesmerising alliance of style and substance he displayed last night suggests that the goal is realisable. Now, if only Britain would wake up to the superstar in its midst.

Deng is used to playing to capacity 22,220 crowds at his home United Center court in Chicago. Around 3,500 turned up at the NIA last night.

A healthy number, yet the shame was that the vast majority are already basketball devotees.

To the mother pushing her baby along in a pushchair outside the NIA two hours before tip-off, the 22-year-old is a complete unknown. Posters around the venue advertised concerts by Wet Wet Wet, the Kaiser Chiefs and even Frank Skinner - well, it was Birmingham, after all - but nowhere was Deng's image.

There may be times during the NBA season when he would happily slip into anonymity in Chicago, but basketball in Britain is supposed to be raising its profile and, unless venues play their part in promoting the sport, the coffers will remain empty.

Of course, the one surefire means of attracting fans and the television god is success on the court. The next three weeks will decide whether Britain can take their place in the European Championships, thereafter the 2010 World Championships and, hopefully, the Olympics two years later.

Deng, full of pride after his Great Britain debut, promises to be there for the duration.

He said: "I'm really happy. I was able to release a lot of excitement tonight. In Chicago the fans are used to me. I love them and they love me, but after 82 games a season they know your game. I felt tonight that a lot of people didn't know what they were going to see.

"They might have heard but they didn't really know what my game was like. I could feel a lot of anticipation and it was great to hear different cheering. Almost like a football game."

Deng's evening on court began quietly. If not a peripheral figure during the opening quarter, he was not its fulcrum. A five-minute spell in the second quarter changed all that.

In a run which took Britain out of sight, he scored 10 of 13 team points, most spectacularly when he floated above two Slovaks to slam the basket while hanging on its rim - cause for those sporting their replica jerseys which bore his No 9 to feel they had invested in pure gold.

Deng is not the only player in the Britain side, but he is what makes the difference. It is time to celebrate him.