It was at the 2012 NBA All-Star game at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida where Luol Deng went outside the NBA All-Star dress code to wear a black t-shirt adorned with a stylized outline of the continent of Africa. It was a monumental moment for Deng, a simple yet impactful way to honor where he came from and inspire the many kids that look up to him.
Deng said on his All-Star appearance in 2012 (to ESPN reporter Nick Friedell) that he "didn't want the kids to just see it and just go by. I just wanted them to remember where I came from and get something out of it.