London: Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng has pleaded with British Prime Minister David Cameron to pump government cash into the country’s basketball programme to ensure the legacy from the London Olympics isn’t “completely demolished.”

Britain’s basketball squads were told last month they will receive no funding ahead of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

In a letter to Cameron, Deng says “I ... have put too much in and care too greatly to let this happen.”

Deng asks “how are we supposed to motivate these kids to carry along their [basketball] journey when there’s now nothing at the end? No Team GB, no Olympic dream, no goal.”

Britain qualified for the London Games through its host-nation place.