Deng Mu always knew he’d eventually move to the United States. With both of his parents being American citizens, it was only a matter of time before he was reunited with them.

What he didn’t know was that basketball would be a central part of his new American life.

“I did know I was going to come over to the U.S., but I didn’t know I’d be playing basketball,” Mu said.

“Both my parents are U.S. citizens, so my dad was eventually planning to bring me over here, like, for college and stuff, but I didn’t really think I’ll be here playing basketball.”

Growing up in South Sudan, where soccer is the most popular sport, Mu didn’t have much familiarity with basketball. In fact, he still doesn’t, seeing that he just started playing two years ago. But as most kids gravitated towards soccer, Mu was inspired by his country’s national basketball team.

“As I grew older,” he said, “I was growing tall, and then I used to see, like, South Sudan Basketball Federation — like the basketball team — we used to watch them play, and then that kind of inspired me to also start playing basketball.”

In 2023, Mu watched the South Sudan men’s basketball team claim the nation’s first Olympic berth in any sport after finishing 3-2 in the FIBA World Cup. He then got to watch the Bright Stars, as the team is known, nearly take down the juggernaut that is the United States in an exhibition match at the Paris Olympics.

“Yeah, it was exciting,” Mu said. “Especially the close game with the U.S. basketball team. That was an exciting game to watch.”

Two years after witnessing history, Mu has a chance to make some of his own. After averaging 18 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks per game in his lone high school basketball season, the 6-foot-8 senior forward led Brentwood back to the Class 2A WPIAL playoffs. The No. 16 Spartans earned a 58-41 preliminary round victory over Beth-Center before facing defending WPIAL champion Jeannette in the first round.

“I think the No. 1 thing anytime you’re playing in one of these 1-16 kind of matchups is to believe that you can win,” coach Dan Thayer said. “That’s the first and most important thing.

“No. 2, we’re going to have to defend really well. We’re going to have to be able to make it difficult for them to score.”

While the box score shows that Mu is a capable rim protector, it’s the plays that don’t get recorded that could be pivotal in this rematch.

“This last game (against Beth-Center), there were probably four blocks, but 10 shots that were not taken because they would have been blocked,” Thayer said.

“So guys don’t even try anymore, in a lot of cases, to score. So that is a huge impact. And we talk about, since day one, announce your presence with authority. So block everything, dunk everything and make them know you’re there.”

After leaving his hometown of Aweil, South Sudan, just six months ago, Mu has certainly quickly announced his presence on the WPIAl basketball scene.