After helping the Chicago Bulls get to the NBA playoffs, Luol Deng is now working hard to try to bring a similar bounce to Great Britain's basketball hopes.

He's back in Britain and hoping to lead the national team to a berth in the 2012 London Olympics.

The 22-year-old native of Sudan moved to London as a child to escape the conflict in his homeland, and eventually worked his way up to the NBA, where he plays for the Chicago Bulls.

"Britain couldn't ask for a better ambassador, not only for all sports, but the country in general," Britain coach Chris Finch said. "He's extremely professional and takes what he does seriously. Whether that's campaigning for humanitarian issues or playing for GB or being a better Chicago Bull."

The hard part is getting the kids in Britain to take an interest in basketball.

"It's not just going to happen overnight -- it's going to take some time. The better we do the more attention the sport will get," Deng said Monday. "With 2012 and the GB team we have a chance. When kids see us play I think it will inspire then and motivate them to take the sport seriously."

The 6-foot-9 forward is scheduled to make his competitive debut in Britain for the national team on Tuesday in Birmingham, with victory against Slovakia in the EuroBasket Division B qualifier crucial to playing in the 2012 Games.

If they get through the group and the playoffs, the team will move up to EuroBasket Division A -- the final step en route to the Olympics.

The women's team, featuring Deng's sister and University of Delaware student Arek Deng, faces a similar predicament.

Deng's mission in Britain has been compared with David Beckham's hopes of making soccer more popular to Americans since his move to the United States. But Deng's commitment will ultimately be futile if the sport doesn't receive a noticeable cash injection.

"It definitely starts with facilities," said Deng, who coaches British children in the summer. "Growing up here was really hard to find a lot of facilities to practice and a lot of kids only practice may one, twice, three times a week.

"That's not enough to develop your game and also the league in the UK a lot of players are leaving the country at young age, going to Europe or going to the States where there's more attention for the game and more potential of making something out of the game moneywise."

Finch, a Texas native, is aware of the problems in Britain.

"Basketball is perceived as an inner-city sport, but if you look at the numbers in the UK, it's more of an upper-middle class sport because those are the only people who can afford to use the facilities," he said. "It's cost prohibitive for the average inner-city kid to afford."

As a 5-year-old boy, Deng's family sought political asylum in London after fleeing Sudan's civil war via Egypt. He left home at 14 to play basketball at a prep school in New Jersey.

Deng then spent a year at Duke University before being drafted by the Bulls in 2004.

Although Deng hasn't quite reached the star level achieved by Beckham, a new contract looks to make him one of Britain's highest-paid athletes.

"There's a lot of excitement in Chicago," Deng said. "We're a young team and we're making great progress."

Deng was cleared to represent Britain after FIBA, the sport's world governing body, lifted its ban on English players competing on the British team after a funding dispute was resolved with British sports bodies.

"To have such a quality player makes a big difference. He is certainly someone you can build a team around," Finch said. "He brings us a lot of class and maturity for someone so young."

Deng, who scored 26 points in an 87-59 win over Ireland last week, is giving up a potential break after a standout season with the Bulls in which he set career-highs in scoring average (18.8 points), rebounds (7.1) and shooting (51.7 percent).

"Every season the main goal is to really improve, to show the organization and the fans you have a great group of guys willing to work hard and take a step ahead," Deng said. "After what we did last year, we really have a big step to cover. Next year our focus is to be one of the forceful teams in the Eastern conference and hopefully try to win the Eastern Conference."

The Bulls advanced in the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1998, when they won the last of three straight NBA titles.

Now the soft-spoken, unassuming player wants to help Britain advance all the way to the Olympics.

The NBA on Tuesday chose former federal prosecutor Lawrence B. Pedowitz to oversee a review of its policies regarding gambling and its referees in the wake of the Tim Donaghy scandal.

Pedowitz and his partners at the New York law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz will study the NBA's antigambling efforts, as well as the processes the league uses to hire, train and monitor its officials.

"There is nothing as important as the integrity of our game and the covenant we have with our fans," commissioner David Stern said in a statement. "In order to preserve their trust, we will make every effort possible to ensure that our processes and procedures are the best they can be."

The league's entire referees program came under scrutiny after Donaghy pleaded guilty to betting on games, including some he worked, and providing inside information to others to help them win bets.

ESPN Radio in New York reported last week that Donaghy was set to name as many as 20 other referees who took part in gambling activity, though not necessarily criminal. The NBA forbids its officials from any type of betting, except for offseason trips to the race track.

Officials are allowed to attend shows at a casino during the offseason, but may not be in the gaming area. Referees who violate the policy could be fired.

Though other referees may have violated its gambling policies, the league maintains that Donaghy is the only one who did anything illegal.

"There have been allegations that other referees violated NBA rules prohibiting casino gaming and the like, but it remains our understanding that Tim Donaghy is the only referee who bet on NBA games," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said Monday.

Pedowitz's team will interview referees, players, coaches and other league personnel during its review

Reggie Miller is still debating whether to make a comeback at age 42.

The NBA's career leader in 3-pointers tried to dodge reporters' questions about his possible return on Tuesday as he attended Peyton Manning's charity bowling tournament, saying he wanted to talk about the Super Bowl MVP and his event.

Eventually, though, Miller acknowledged no decision was imminent.

"I'm in shape to bowl," Miller joked. "But I don't even know what I'm going to do."

Miller was among dozens of celebrities participating in Manning's annual tournament but was one of the feature stars because of the speculation he would return to the NBA in search of the championship ring he never won in 18 seasons with the Indiana Pacers.

Miller retired from the league two years ago and his No. 31 now hangs in the Conseco Fieldhouse rafters after being retired by the Pacers last season. He ranks 13th on the NBA's career scoring list with 25,279 points.

Danny Ainge, the Boston Celtics' basketball boss, has acknowledged he and Miller have had discussions, although Miller said Tuesday a decision might not come for another month.

"I think I'll let my body and the people I've called and talked to, help me make that decision," he said. "It will all come together."

Miller spent last season as a television analyst for NBA and WNBA games on TNT and has run a movie production company called Boom Baby Productions since retiring. He's also co-hosted "Live with Regis and Kelly."

But Miller has said it felt strange not to be part of an NBA team when training camps opened in 2005.

And Boston presents Miller with a unique opportunity to win a title. The Celtics have added seven-time All-Star Ray Allen and 2004 NBA MVP Kevin Garnett in offseason trades.

Miller would fit in as a backup to Allen on a team that needs depth after trading seven players to Minnesota for Garnett.

Will that be enough to convince Miller to make a comeback attempt?

Miller isn't saying, but former Pacers teammate Rik Smits believes there's a 65 percent chance Miller suits up this season.

"I think if his body holds up after a month or so of practice to get ready for training camp, I think he can do it," Smits said. "Part of it's mind-set, part of it's physical. He'd be a guy who could do it and probably still be able to contribute."