Two South Sudanese basketball players honoured with OAM in Australia and OBE in UK

UK and Australia honoured two South Sudanese for their work in basketball and the mentoring of young people. Manyang Gabriel Berberi received OAM (General Division) in Australia while Luol Deng received the OBE in UK

Manyang Berberi and Luol Deng in Australia Source: Manyang

Manyang Gabriel Berberi is the founder of the Sunshine Longhorns Basketball Club. He coached many young South Sudanese who were later drafted into major basketball leagues or teams in Australia and across the work. Manyang was among the 947 recipients of the General Division of the Order of Australia on Queen’s Birthday 2021. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Luol Deng (Luol Ajou Deng), a two-time NBA All-Star, is awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE). After his retirement in Basketball, Luol shifted his focus to South Sudan to help build the South Sudanese National Basketball team. He has since been travelling in and out of South Sudan and attending marches across Africa in support of the South Sudanese National team. Both Manyang and Luol have lived as refugees before resettling in UK and Australia. Luol Deng has been a frequent guest at the events organised by Longhorns Basketball Club in Melbourne over the years. Manyang will be on SBS Dinka radio.