DENG WORTH EVERY PENNY
09/20/2008

LUOL Deng has cost Great Britain's basketball team £60,000 a victory during their successful European Championship qualifying campaign.

But that is money well spent as Chris Finch's team concludes its amazing qualifying efforts for the 2009 European Championships in Bosnia Herzegovina tonight.

With the Brits guaranteed to finish top of Group D, Deng is likely to sit out the final group clash with a toe injury which he picked up during the decisive midweek win in the Czech Republic.

Deng only made the GB line-up after British Basketball paid an extra £240,000 insurance premium to cover an old back injury.

And Finch said: "Obviously right now, that represents money well spent because we have qualified for the European Finals for the first time ever.

"It also sends out a message about how serious and well run this programme is. Luol is not only a great player, he' s a great ambassador for the sport and a vital part of what we are doing."

Deng, who signed a £39.4 million contract with the Chicago Bulls this summer, has sparked GB to a 4-1 record so far but will be a big miss against a Bosnian team that needs to win to clinch second place.

Deng said: "I have a badly bruised toe which I got late in the game against the Czechs and I most likely won't play.

"That's disappointing but it's the best feeling in the world to have qualified, especially because we were the first country to clinch a place on Wednesday.

"Coming in, I had the insurance problem and the team had to prepare without me but we were still able to play wel in that first game, re-group and win four straight."