The All-Star Game is exactly one week away, and we would like to volunteer ourselves to take Shams’ place in the celebrity game as Coach Giannis obviously is gonna sit him the whole time anyways. 😭

Today’s Lineup

💸 Luol Deng’s Business Empire

For most fans, Luol Deng will always be remembered as the tireless two-way wing who anchored Tom Thibodeau’s Bulls, logged brutal minutes, made two All-Star teams, and built a reputation on discipline and durability. But his most impressive professional run has come after the final buzzer 👀 

Quietly, Deng has built one of the most formidable post-career business portfolios in sports. Through patient, fundamentals-driven investing, he assembled a vast real estate platform spanning the U.S. and the U.K., focused largely on long-term, value-add residential properties. Deng even received mentorship from JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon after befriending the business tycoon’s daughter at Duke 🧠 

What separates Deng, though, is his purpose. As president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation, he has been the central architect behind the country’s rise on the international stage, including a historic Olympic appearance. For the youngest country in the world still experiencing vast poverty, Deng has used basketball as infrastructure: building programs, funding travel, and creating opportunity where little existed before 🙏 

That same commitment extends beyond the court. A former refugee himself, Deng has consistently directed resources toward education, healthcare, and relief efforts for Sudanese communities facing extreme poverty and displacement. His wealth has become a tool, not a trophy. And we salute him for that 🫡 

📚 Kentucky Star Turned Author

If you only know Oscar Tshiebwe as Kentucky’s human vacuum cleaner, it’s time to update the scouting report. The Wildcat legend who powered Big Blue Nation with a National Player of the Year campaign is still owning the glass in the G League, but he’s also building a second résumé that doesn’t fit neatly on a stat sheet 📕 

Oscar has turned into one of basketball’s biggest bookworms. Tshiebwe tears through 50+ books per year, treating reading like film study for life, something he’s prioritized so heavily he’s even cut out social media distractions 💪 

That habit has spilled into authorship. Tshiebwe has written 2 books: Courage in the Dark, a faith-forward reflection that traces his journey through hardship and the mindset it took to reach this level, and How to Discover Your Purpose, a concise, practical guide aimed at helping readers identify what they’re called to do and how to pursue it 🤔 

It’s always fun to see guys react to the news that they made the All-Star Game, ESPECIALLY if it’s their first time.

Jalen Duren found out he made his first ASG moments before opening tip, and the entire arena gave him applause. Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes found out on the bench and was mobbed by his Raptors teammates, which you can see below ⬇️

Whereas Pascal Siakam was seen on video being happy when his name was called and then HYPED when his ex-teammate Norman Powell got the nod. We love to see the NBA brotherhood stays strong even when both guys switch teams.

Also, it’s nuts to think that 2019 Raptors now had SIX players who have made an All-Star Game since, plus S-tier role players OG Anunoby and Serge Ibaka. Obviously, not all of those guys were in peak form that year, but the next generation is going to think Kawhi assembled a superteam 😭 

Signing Off

Enjoy the Super Bowl today! 🏈 Considerate of Roger Goodell to schedule it after the Clippers vs. Timberwolves game, because we might’ve had to prioritize the Bones Hyland Bowl.

Catch ya later, Enjoyers ✌️

Conor Geelan