Luol Deng on side effects from spinal tap: “really put my life in danger.”

Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng, underwent a spinal tap during the postseason and said that side effects from it, put his life in danger.

Deng’s season ended in May after he was hospitalized with an illness. He eventually underwent a spinal tap which clearly didn’t go as planned. Deng previously admitted he has lost 15 pounds after the procedure but sounds like it was much worse than just that.

He appears to be in better shape and spirits these days, which is a very good sign as the Bulls are entering a season in which D. Rose will be dressed and ready to play.

Deng said in an interview with NBA.com 

"“The end of the season was disappointing. I worked hard all season, played in the All-Star game and wanted to take the team as far as possible in the playoffs. But then, when I got sick, I think that we could have handled the situation better. Obviously there are some things you can’t handle. You can’t really handle getting sick, being taken to the ER or going to the hospital. I got the spinal tap and that’s where it went all wrong. My body didn’t react well to the spinal tap, I had some serious side effects that not only didn’t allow me to play basketball, but really put my life in danger. It’s something that I wouldn’t want anybody to go through, but when I went through it, I think that basketball became second-especially that because what I went through health wise, my family was very worried. I never want to experience something like that again.”"

Deng and the Chicago Bulls will be looking to get back to playoff’s once again, but this time as a stronger team after Rose missed the entire year last season.