Croydon’s NBA all-star has spoken out against US President Donald Trump’s Muslim-nation ban.

Luol Deng was born in Wau, South Sudan, and escaped with his family to the UK when he was young to escape a civil war.

The two-time NBA all-star, who grew up in Brixton and went to school in Croydon, said he wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t given refuge.

In a statement released on twitter, he said: “I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for the opportunity to find refuge in a safe harbour.

“For the people of South Sudan, refugee resettlement has saved countless lives, just as it has for families all over the world escaping the depths of despair.”

Deng’s family escaped from the Second Sudanese Civil War, which resulted in roughly two million deaths and four million people in south Sudan being displaced.

Sudan was one of the seven Muslim-majority countries on President Trump’s bill banning its citizens from travelling to the US.

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Thousands of people held a protest outside Downing Street protesting the ban and Prime Minister Theresa May’s reaction to it.

Mr Deng said: “It’s important that we remember to humanize the experience of others. Refugees overcome immeasurable odds, relocate across the globe, and work hard to make the best of their newfound home.

“Refugees are productive members of society that want for their family just as you want for yours.

“I stand by all refugees and migrants, of all religions, just as I stand by the policies that have historically welcomed them.”

Mr Deng travels back to London during the NBA off-season where he holds basketball camps for local children.

He has recently spoken about how he used to watch Crystal Palace as a child and that his dream was to buy the club.