(USA Today) -- Luol Deng said he is proud of his African heritage, that he has "a lot of African in me, not just 'a little'".
Responding to comments Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry made about him during a meeting on free agents in June, Deng released a statement that addressed what was said and the reaction to those comments.
"For my entire life, my identity has been a source of pride and strength. Among my family and friends, in my country of South Sudan and across the broader continent of Africa, I can think of no greater privilege than to do what I love for a living while also representing my heritage on the highest stage," he said. "Unfortunately, the comment about my heritage was not made with the same respect and appreciation."
During a conference call to discuss free agents, Ferry read from a profile report compiled from input by internal and external sources and said Deng "is still a young guy overall. He is a good guy overall. But he is not perfect. He's got some African in him. And I don't say that in a bad way."
Ferry's comments triggered the internal investigation which unearthed a 2012 e-mail sent by Hawks majority owner Bruce Levenson in which he made multiple racially insensitive comments about Hawks fans. Levenson has since apologized and said he is selling his stake in the team because of those comments.
Ferry apologized to Deng in a statement issued Monday. The Hawks hit Ferry with an undisclosed punishment.
The Hawks were one of the teams interested in Deng during free agency. He eventually signed with the Miami Heat.
"Concerning my free agency, the focus should purely have been on my professionalism and my ability as an athlete," Deng said. "Every person should have the right to be treated with respect and evaluated as an individual, rather than be reduced to a stereotype. I am saddened and disappointed that this way of thinking still exists today. I am even more disturbed that it was shared so freely in a business setting.
"However, there is comfort in knowing that there are people who aren't comfortable with it and have the courage to speak up. In the same way a generalization should not define a group of people, the attitude of a few should not define a whole organization or league. Ultimately, I'm thankful to be with an organization that appreciates me for who I am and has gone out of its way to make me feel welcome."
Atlanta Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon wanted Levenson to either ask for Ferry's resignation or fire him after the comments in June. But CEO Steve Koonin said that while Ferry has been punished, he will remain the team's general manager.
