Canadian prospect Deng Ngor talks FIBA gold medal, recruitment

Since class of 2027 prospect Deng Ngor picked up a basketball, it’s been his dream to represent his home country.

And not only did the 6-8 wing from Alberta, Canada live out that dream this summer, he did so in grand fashion, helping Canada’s U18 squad to its first-ever gold medal in the FIBA Americup.

In that title game this past June, Ngor scored 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting while adding three steals and two rebounds. The wing was +10 in 25 minutes, the highest of any player in the game. Ngor also had the game winning basket: a resounding dunk that put Canada ahead 67-65 with a minute remaining.

“It was awesome,” Ngor said of the experience. “I knew if Canada was going to beat USA anytime soon, it would be this year. We had a great group of guys. I feel that group of guys was amazing and just the best competitive guys out here in Canada… I feel like we were physical, and when you can bang with them [USA], you can hang with them.”

Ngor has carried over that success to the AAU circuit this summer, playing for Canadian program Lu Dort Elite. He just wrapped up his season and ended up averaging 12.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 15 games. He also made 1.2 triples per contest.

"He's a really good playmaker,” Lu Dort Elite coach Darnell Landon said. “He's just going to do whatever's necessary, whether it's score or get someone else involved. He always wants his teammates to do well. His playmaking ability is really good. He's a versatile defender. We have him guarding 1-5. So it's great to have him on our team. And the shooting, I think a lot of people don't realize how good of a shooter he actually is for his size. Just a versatile player.

“But what makes him special is his attitude off the court,” Landon added. “He's just overall a great guy. He's a people person, charismatic. He's a leader off the floor, and he's a competitor. I think that's what separates him from a lot of the guys in the class.”

With the AAU season now over for Ngor, he’s going to get back home and start thinking seriously about his recruitment.

“I'm planning on starting to set up my visits right after this and start cutting down my list and get everything done,” Ngor said.

What schools are most involved, where does he want to visit, and what Blue Blood coaches were out to see him in Rock Hill?

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