Trump slams UCLA star's father, players, says he should have 'left them in jail'
President Trump took to Twitter on Sunday, slamming LaVar Ball, the father of one of the UCLA basketball players detained in China on suspicion of shoplifting, after he questioned the commander-in-chief’s role in returning the athletes home.
“Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!” Trump said in a tweet.
Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017
Ball’s son, LiAngelo, along with two other members of the UCLA basketball team, were arrested on Nov. 7 for allegedly stealing sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store, and detained in China for questioning. The incident took place while the team was overseas for their season-opener against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
On Friday, Ball downplayed the alleged shoplifting incident and Trump’s role in getting the players back to the U.S.
"Who? What was he over there for? Don't tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out,” Ball told ESPN.
The players apologized and thanked the president for his involvement during a press conference last week. The team’s head coach, Steve Alford, later announced the trio was suspended indefinitely.