Deng wins Sportsmanship Award amid accusations of fraud

CHICAGO, IL — Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng is the recipient of the 2006-07 NBA Sportsmanship Award, the league announced Thursday. Deng narrowly beat out the Houston Rockets’ Shane Battier, Derek Fisher of the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Elton Brand. Fisher said he plans to file for a recount. “Apparently you get some extra points for playing at Duke,” the Jazz guard said. “I have a league source who told me that if I had any kind of connection with Coach K, I would have won. That guy is like the Godfather of basketball.” Deng, Battier and Brand were all contacted by SSNN for comment and, oddly enough, they all gave the same response – to the letter. “It’s good to see so many of my Duke brethren mentioned for this prestigious award,” all three Dukies said. “I just want to thank Coach K and the Blue Devil family for making this all possible.” When SSNN reached Coach Krzyzewski at his palacial Durham estate, he told us he was proud of not only Deng, Battier and Brand, but all Duke alumns, or ‘Corleones’ as he calls them. “It’s simple. I make these kids an offer they can’t refuse,” Krzyzewski said. “I offer them awards and riches beyond their wildest dreams. As for this Fisher guy, he should watch what he says before he ends up swimming with the fishes in the Great Salt Lake – if you know what I mean.”