British basketball star Luol Deng made an impressive start to his NBA career, scoring 18 points from the bench as his Chicago Bulls lost 111-106 to the New Jersey Nets.
The 19-year-old added 10 rebounds and three assists in a strong all-round display as his team overturned a 27-point deficit.
But the Bulls fell in double overtime to a Nets team inspired by fit-again All-Star Alonzo Mourning, who had 17 points and by Richard Jefferson's 26 points and 21 boards.
Deng was born in Sudan but grew up in London before moving to the States to go to high school.
He attended prestigious basketball college Duke, but left after only a year when he was drafted by Chicago.
Mourning, meanwhile, had asked the Nets for a contract buy-out so he could go to a team with a better chance of winning.
The veteran, who has been struggling with a kidney disease, is not sure how much longer he can play for.
"I'm willing to sacrifice a ton of money in order to continue to do this somewhere else," he said before the game.
"Evidently they don't see it as an appropriate number for them. They want more."
MMIX
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