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SPORTS Wednesday 22 november 2017

LaVar Ball questions President

Trump’s role in son’s release

WASHINGTON (AP) — Out- “It wasn’t a big deal be- basketball skills of his three
spoken basketball dad cause being raised in sons — Los Angeles Lak-
LaVar Ball questioned the South Central LA, I’ve seen ers rookie Lonzo, LiAngelo
extent of President Don- harsher things. I’ve seen 16, and prep prospect LaMelo
ald Trump’s involvement in 17-year-old kids that have — and his own bombas-
securing his son’s release had to go to jail for life, that tic personality. He started
from the custody of Chi- were my friends,” Ball said. an apparel company, Big
nese authorities during a “He wasn’t physical. He re- Baller Brand, with shoes
combative 20-minute CNN turned it. He fessed up to that retail for $500 or more, In this July 7, 2017, file photo, LaVar Ball, father of Los Angeles
Lakers’ Lonzo Ball and UCLA player LiAngelo Ball, watches the
interview on Monday night. it.” and he got in several plugs Lakers play the Los Angeles Clippers during an NBA summer
The president, in tweets LiAngelo and fellow UCLA for his products during the league basketball game, in Las Vegas.
Sunday, said he should freshmen Jalen Hill and CNN interview.q Associated Press
have left LiAngelo Ball and Cody Riley have been sus-
two other UCLA basketball pended indefinitely. They
players accused of shop- were arrested and ques-
lifting in jail because La- tioned about stealing from
Var Ball “is unaccepting of high-end stores next to the
what I did for his son” and team’s hotel in Hangzhou,
“very ungrateful!” LaVar where the Bruins stayed
Ball has refused to thank before leaving for Shang-
Trump. hai to play Georgia Tech.
LaVar Ball didn’t back All three apologized for
down during the CNN inter- their actions and thanked
view, telling host Chris Cuo- Trump for his role in secur-
mo that Trump has more ing their release, which oc-
important things to do than curred while the president
ask for his gratitude. was traveling in Asia.
“That’s on your mind, that The trio isn’t allowed to suit
a father didn’t say ‘Thank up, be on the bench for
you’? And you’re the head home games or travel with
of the U.S.? Come on,” Ball the team. Without them,
said. “There’s a lot of other No. 23 UCLA lost to Creigh-
things that’s going on. Let ton on Monday night in the
him do his political affairs Hall of Fame Classic.
and let me handle my son, LaVar Ball is attempting to
and let’s just stay in our build an empire around the
lane.”
Ball suggested that he and
Chinese president Xi Jin-
ping had more to do with
securing his son’s release
than the president.
“Did (Trump) help the boys
get out? I don’t know. If I
was going to thank some-
body, I probably would
thank President Xi. He’s in
China. He’s the president of
China,” Ball said, later add-
ing: “I helped my son get
out of China. I had some
people that had boots on
the ground that knew the
situation.”
Ball also pushed back
against Trump’s suggestion
that shoplifting “is a very
big deal in China.”