<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Few, if any, in the Bulls organization are surprised that forward Luol Deng is the most improved player in preseason camp. Perhaps general manager John Paxson is least surprised of all. In June, just weeks after the Bulls had been eliminated from the NBA playoffs, Paxson learned firsthand how intent Deng is to elevate his game. "Luol was there (the Berto Center) in the morning then at 7 o'clock that night," Paxson recalled. "I heard the ball bouncing, and when I looked out, he was in a full sweat. He was already working on things to improve his game." Deng and the Bulls can thank a torn ligament in his right wrist, which kept him out of action for the final 10 games of the 2004-05 regular season, all of that year's postseason and much of the following offseason. While Deng was depressed and frustrated about the injury, the first of any significance in his career, it also motivated him. "It was tough to stay on the couch the whole summer (of 2005), but I learned from that," Deng said. "As the year went on, I learned a lot about myself and my teammates. You have to know what kind of player you are and find a way to reach your potential. I didn't sit around this summer, but worked on my game." The immediate result was evident in Wednesday's preseason opener against the Washington Wizards. In 21 minutes, a stronger, more confident Deng totaled 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and one turnover and was the best player on the court. "It's more mental than anything," Deng said of the improvement. "My first year in the league I worried about what would happened. Last year I thought a lot about my wrist every time I touched the ball. This summer I was able to play basketball and work on a lot of things." In the past, Deng found it difficult to match up against stronger, more physical opponents. With that in mind, he worked with a personal trainer in the summer. While Deng doesn't resembled the "after" picture in the old Charles Atlas advertisements quite yet, his upper body is noticeably thicker. "Definitely, this is strongest I've been physically," Deng, 21, said. "When I got in trouble before, it was usually against guys who could outmuscle me. But I had a good summer that prepared me for this." As for work ethic, Deng hasn't changed one bit. "Every day I look out of my office, that's the validation for us," Paxson said. "That kid works harder than anybody else."</div> Source
