Former NBA star Luol Deng recently shared a shocking revelation about a near-fatal medical misdiagnosis during his time with the Chicago Bulls. In a candid interview, Deng detailed how a misdiagnosis almost led to a lawsuit against the organization.
A Tweet read,
“Luol Deng says he almost sued the Chicago Bulls for misdiagnosing him “If you remember, that year we went to the playoffs, the year that D. Rose got hurt. We were playing Brooklyn, and there was a flu going around with the team. One of the doctors suggested that, because my fever was so high, I might have meningitis. Out of nowhere, they just sent me to the hospital. When I got to the hospital, they misdiagnosed me. They ended up saying my fever was too high and whatnot, and they ended up giving me a spinal tap surgery.”
https://Twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1856445775330587086
The Incident
During the 2013 NBA Playoffs, Luol Deng began experiencing flu-like symptoms, which the Bulls’ medical staff feared could be viral meningitis. His fever was alarmingly high, prompting the team to send him to the hospital for further evaluation. At the hospital, Deng underwent a spinal tap procedure, despite other team members also dealing with similar symptoms.
Misdiagnosis and Complications
The spinal tap revealed that Deng did not have viral meningitis, but the procedure led to severe complications. Spinal fluid leaked into his body, causing him to struggle with walking and resulting in significant weight loss. Luol Deng’s condition was so severe that he missed the remainder of the playoffs, which was a devastating blow to both him and the team.
Luol Deng’s Reaction
Deng expressed his frustration and disappointment with the situation, stating that he considered suing the Bulls for the misdiagnosis. However, he ultimately decided against it, fearing that a legal battle could end his basketball career. “I knew that if I sued the Bulls, I would either not play basketball ever again in order to win the case, to prove that things didn’t go well and this could be career-ending but wanted to hoop so I said, ‘Yo, I’m not suing anyone. I’m just going to hoop. I’m just going to come back.
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