Former Duke basketball player Luol Deng was named the recipient of the 2008 UN Refugee Agency’s Humanitarian of the Year Award. He'll receive the award Friday in Washington.

Deng participated in the UNHCR's ninemillion.org campaign that seeks to provide education and sports opportunities to millions of displaced children. Deng pledged $50 for every basket he scored with the Chicago Bulls this past season, also urging fans to support efforts to help young refugees.

An All-ACC third team performer in 2004 when he led Duke to the Final Four, Deng is a native of Sudan and fled the country, that is still embroiled in civil war, with his family as a young boy. The Dengs were refugees in Egypt before being granted asylum in England.