UCLA Basketball Player Now Says He Thanked Trump Because School Made Him
“If they didn’t tell me to do it, it wouldn’t have been in there”
Trump intervened to keep this young man and two others out of a Chinese jail. Talk about a lack of gratitude.
The Los Angeles Times reports:
LiAngelo Ball says he was instructed by UCLA to thank Trump after release from China
Last month, LiAngelo Ball expressed gratitude toward President Trump for his role in resolving an international incident involving Ball and two other UCLA basketball players.
But now that he no longer attends UCLA, Ball has admitted he included Trump among the people he thanked during a Nov. 15 news conference only because he was instructed to by someone at the university.
“If they didn’t tell me to do it, it wouldn’t have been in there, to be honest,” Ball said Wednesday during an interview on a New York radio show.
Ball and two of his former Bruins teammates, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill, were arrested for shoplifting merchandise from three upscale stores inside a mall in Hangzhou, China, days before the Bruins’ season opener against Georgia Tech in Shanghai.
They spent a night in jail and were released on bail Nov. 8 but remained in a hotel in Hangzhou for several days as the legal process played out. On Nov. 14, Trump told reporters he asked China’s leader, Xi Jinping, to help resolve the case involving the three players.
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Comments
So, now you’re saying that the only reason you thanked the person who got you out of going to prison in a foreign country for committing a crime was because UCLA made you do it. I am glad UCLA made you do the right thing and made you say thank you.
Apparently, your parents never taught you any basic manners.
Your “thank you” is worth about what I and others now think of you — less than nothing.
No, he’s saying…He said what he said cause somebody said he should say it…
(Say What?)
He’s only saying what he said now because the people around him are telling him that’s what he’s supposed to say now.
Truthfully, I bet deep down he wishes he COULD say thank you. I think he is young and stupid and fearful of the mob’s response.
elle, Did you see the CNN interview with Daddy Ball? The man is really good at talking in circles, and he was adamant that there was no reason to thank Pres Trump…
I’m sure dad has a lot of influence with the son…
he has responsible parents ????
Early life
Ball was born in the Los Angeles area in Anaheim, California, to LaVar and Tina Ball, who were both former college basketball players. The 6-foot-6-inch (1.98 m) LaVar played at Washington State before transferring to Cal State Los Angeles, where the 6-foot (1.8 m) Tina was also playing. A two-sport athlete, LaVar also played American football professionally for the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football.
LiAngelo Ball began playing basketball at an early age with his brothers Lonzo and LaMelo. Growing up, the trio played on teams coached by their father, including Big Ballers VXT of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), where they would continue playing into high school.[2]
Ungrateful bunch of babies… Call kapernick & take a knee for being a thief…
He’s dropped out of college to play overseas. Good luck with that.
Hopefully he has to play a game in China and a well-placed phone call advises the Chinese that the US government will not intervene and they can pursue the criminal charges against this ingrate.
He gets arrested and … all true Americans cheer.
It’s too much to expect a petty thief to be anything but petty when he is out of danger. I cannot imagine how harsh the conditions in a Chineese prison are. While the scholarshiped semi literate jock is showing is his class. It’s all third! The apple didn’t fall to far from the tree.
Remind me again why I will not watch the idiots playing a game that high schoolers play at a very high level, and get paid way too much money to do it.
He actually thinks he’s improving his reputation by admitting he’s not only a thief, but a stupid, lying, weasel and a punk. ROFLMAO!
At a young age I was taught that “please”, “excuse me”, and “thank you” cost me nothing, yet acknowledged the presence of others and acknowledged their efforts.
I’m also reminded of Winston Churchill’s response to critics one time was, “After all, when you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite.”
You don’t have to like someone to be polite.
Who will he blame when he discovers that his chances of playing in the NBA are zero.