Majok Deng: "The forgotten one"

Majok Deng labelled himself as “the forgotten one” in the aftermath of Tasmania’s emotional Game 3 Championship Series victory over Melbourne United. The veteran forward had been grafting and grafting in a season that was beset by injury, but when the chips have been down, he’s stepped up.

Deng is a known quantity to NBL fans. He’s a veteran of eight NBL seasons and is onto his third different team. He averaged over 14 points per game with Cairns as recently as NBL22, and was an All-First Team nominee in a stacked NBL1 North conference ahead of the likes of fellow NBL stars Nathan Sobey, Jaylin Galloway, and Shaun Bruce heading into this season.

His scoring outbursts in the second game of Tasmania’s Playoff Series against Perth and Sunday’s clash with Melbourne might have been unexpected, but they’re not surprising.

In fact, Scott Roth stated all the way back in October that he couldn’t believe the JackJumpers were the only side interested in Deng’s services.

“I’ve always liked him, my first year in Perth when he was in Cairns I thought he was very good back then, and he’s a shot-maker,” Roth said following Tasmania’s Round 3 win over Illawarra.

“The good news is no one wanted him except the JackJumpers and he’s a piece of gold we have. He fits into our exact style, he’s a family guy, grounded, loves what he does, wanted a second chance and another opportunity to prove people wrong that had bypassed on him, and he fits our group fantastically.”

Although Deng spent two months on the sidelines with an ankle injury, he’s still managed 24 appearances for Tasmania in his debut campaign with the team.

Of players to have played at least 20 times across NBL24, he’s behind only Nathan Sobey (24.1), Parker Jackson-Cartwright (23.9), Jaylen Adams (23.7), Mitch Creek (23.4) and Anthony Lamb (23.2) in points per 36 minutes.

So, on an even playing field the top six scorers are three former MVP nominees, a former MVP, a key NBA rotation option from just last season, and “the forgotten one”.

This isn’t the first time Deng has impressed against Melbourne United in a Championship Series though.

The 2018 series between Adelaide and Melbourne saw Deng take to the floor behind a stacked forward/center rotation that included the likes of Mitch Creek, Daniel Johnson and Josh Childress for the 36ers.

Current Tasmania teammate Anthony Drmic was also on that Adelaide side, as was Nathan Sobey. For Melbourne, eventual Grand Final MVP Chris Goulding and import trio Casper Ware, Casey Prather and Josh Boone represented the main threats.

Current JackJumpers Majok Deng and Anthony Drmic before a game with Adelaide in 2018.

After Melbourne established a 1-0 series lead, Deng took over with 18 points in just 16 minutes to level the series at 1-1. He then scored 16 points in a three-point Game 3 defeat where Ware and Prather combined for 48 points, but then added 13 points as Adelaide ground out another win to send the series to a decider.

He couldn’t inspire the 36ers to their first title since 2002, but that series established Deng as one of the premier impact scoring, big-game players in the NBL – and that’s a mantle he has reclaimed this season.

Most of the headlines from Sunday’s win are rightly being directed towards Jack McVeigh for his incredible game-winning shot in the final moments of the clash, but the current toast of the NBL has prior history with Deng, as the pair both represented the 36ers during NBL20.

McVeigh says Deng’s game-saving performances are coming as no surprise to the JackJumpers.

“Majok Deng was doing what Majok Deng always does – he comes in and gets buckets,” McVeigh told SEN.

“All week we were on him to shoot the ball. When you get it let it fly, let it fly, let it fly. Then he hit those first two that kind of opened the floor up for him. 

“He averaged 14 points a game two or three seasons ago, there are moments in practice where he’s cooking everyone, so we kind of expect that from him.

“There are going to be games where shots don’t fall – that’s anyone – but we know he’s capable of doing exactly what he did.”

If the Tasmania JackJumpers are to take home their maiden NBL title, they’ll likely have to rely on one more game of Majok Deng doing what Majok Deng does – especially if the apparent knee injury to Marcus Lee is as serious as initially feared.

For all the stars, all the scorers and all the stats that can be bandied around this competition though, there are few players you’d want in your back pocket more than “the forgotten one”.

Game 4 of Tasmania’s Championship Series against Melbourne will tip off at 7:30pm AEDT on Thursday night, live on ESPN via Kayo. The Coca-Cola Pre-Game Show gets underway at 7pm AEDT.