By Peyton Capellen Posted December 7, 2017
NCAA basketball has a big problem right now. On September 29 the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York released information from an FBI investigation that has uncovered mass corruption, bribery, and wire fraud from some of the country’s top programs. Louisville is the most notable school implicated in the investigation.
Aside from the big investigation, UCLA’s team is facing another problem.
To tip off the basketball season their opening game was held in Shanghai, China. Three members of the team attempted to steal sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store. Those players were freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley, and Jalen Hill.
The three could have faced years in a Chinese prison, but they were released on November 15.
President Trump was on a trip to Asia at the time and spoke to the Chinese President about the incident prior to their release.
After their release, President Trump sent out a tweet asking for gratitude from the players.
“Do you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you President Trump? They were headed for 10 years in jail!,” Trump tweeted.
The players spoke and gave thanks to Trump and the US government.
Lavar Ball, father of Liangelo Ball, however, was the opposite of thankful to Trump for stepping in and believes he was not a factor in why his son and the other two players were released.
“Who? What was he over there for? Don’t tell me nothin. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out,” said Lavar in an interview.
Trump lashed back on Twitter once again following Lavar’s statement.
“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 tweeted.
The players have been suspended from the team indefinitely. They are not allowed to practice, workout, travel, or dress for home games with the team. Although this is a punishment most would agree the players deserve, the fact that they are suspended indefinitely does not make much sense. A punishment with a set time on how long the players are suspended or if they will ever be allowed back on the team seems to make more sense.
As this is something very rare in college basketball or college sports in general, it will be interesting to see how the situation is resolved.
